Innocent
by Elendriel
Summary: COMPLETE -No Slash- Legolas and 5 years old Frodo met in Rivendell. Things happen : fever, picnic, gollum, orcs, Mandos (yes, Mandos) and etc. The unbreakable bond between mortal and immortals.
1. Meeting

TITLE: Innocent

AUTHOR: Elendriel (El)

RATING: PG

PAIRING: Frodo / Legolas (but this is non-slash fic)

DISCLAIMER: All characters are Tolkien's, not mine. I just only borrow them.

SUMMARY: After Frodo's parents death. Bilbo and Gandalf bring the hobbit to Rivendell.

NOTES 1: This fic is kind of a little AU. I know Frodo's parents drown in the river when he was 12 and Bilbo adopted him when he was 19 years old. In this story, I change a bit. Frodo is about 4-5 years old now and Bilbo adopted him immediately after the tragedy.

NOTES 2: My mother language isn't English. So be patience with my grammar though I had checked my grammar in this fic many times before post it.

**Innocent By Elendriel (El)**

**Chapter 1**

It was a nice day in Buckland. The sun shone around and made the surface of Brandywine River glow like a diamond, only disturbed by a boat that Frodo's father and mother were rowing. Little Frodo played on the shore with his friends under the watchful eyes of Brandybuck's adults who were working, talking or smoking their pipes in the field nearby. Then Frodo heard a loud thud from the river. He turned around and found that the boat was turned over. His parents were struggling in the water for their lives.

"Papa! Mama!" Frodo screamed and flew to the shore. His heart was beating fast as he saw his mother who could barely swim try to help his father, who like most Hobbits, couldn't swim. But the weight of wet clothes was pulling them into the river more and more until he could see only their hands.

Dinodas, Frodo's uncle was nearest to him and caught him in his arms. He knew Frodo could only swim a little and might be the third person they had to help from drowning.

Many shouts and yells surrounded them. Frodo couldn't point out whose voice was whose. His eyes fixed on the river. Some of the adults who could swim jumped into the river and swam to where they saw Drogo and Primula last time.

"Shh.Frodo. Drogo and Primula will be okay. We will do our best to help them," Dinodas whispered to his nephew even though he was as worried as Frodo was.

Five minutes passed but in Frodo's mind, it looked like a year when the rescuers took his parents from the Brandywine River. Their faces were as pale as paper and there was no hint of blood to be seen. The little hobbit wriggled out of Dinodas' arms and ran towards his father and mother as his tears ran down his cheeks.

"Papa! Mama! Papa! Mama! Pa."

"Papa! Mama! Papa!." Little Frodo cried out loud, meanwhile someone shook him out of dreamland.

"Frodo, wake up. It's a nightmare, Frodo." Bilbo shook his little relative and sighed secretly when he saw him open his teary eyes and then he was taken aback when the small ball named Frodo bolted towards him.

"Bilbo! Why did papa and mama leave me? Why did they die?!" Frodo cried out heartbroken. He clutched Bilbo's shirt until his knuckles went white as new tears burst out from his azure eyes.

Bilbo looked at Gandalf wordlessly. He didn't know how to soothe his lad.

Gandalf watched Frodo with sympathy and took him onto his own lap.

"It's a part of life, Frodo. Hobbits can't escape death," Gandalf stroke Frodo's curly hair in the manner of a parent soothing their child. The wizard let him cry as much as he wanted. Not too long after, Frodo fell asleep again.

Gandalf waited a few minutes to be sure that Frodo was slumbering deeply, then tucked Frodo into his bedroll that was set not far from the fire before sitting down on his seat again. The silence of the night in the forest covered them, only the crackle of fire and the sounds of horse's and pony's tails could be heard.

"You think it would work, Gandalf?" Bilbo asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes."

"It has been three weeks since I adopted him after his parents' death and he still has nightmares," Bilbo said frustrated. "I don't like to see him suffer. He was an innocent and sweet boy. Yes, he still is. But he is going to break under the sorrow."

"I don't think so, my friend. His nightmares have subsided, and see, he can eat even if it is just a very little," Gandalf pointed out and glanced at the boy who was underweight more than the hobbit's children around his age should be.

"Yes. You're always right, Gandalf," The wizard was at Bag End when the tragedy news of Primula and Drogo came. The two went to Brandybuck together to pay respect at them last time and to witness Frodo's collapse. Though his relatives, Brandybucks, didn't mind to raise Frodo, they agreed that it wasn't good for the boy to grow up in the environment that would remind him of his parents. That was one of the reasons why Bilbo adopted the poor child as his heir. Other reason was Bilbo knew that Brandybuck was the big clan and had a lot of people. Even his uncles and aunts loved him dearly; they may not pay attention and give love to Frodo as much as the kid wanted.

Frodo came to Bag End with brokenhearted. He didn't eat a bit, just slept, woke and cried until Bilbo and Gandalf had to discuss how to cope with the child because if they let Frodo went on that way, he would go after his parents soon. Finally, the wizard adviced that the new sight of Middle- Earth might ease the pain in Frodo's heart. Bilbo agreed and they together set the travel to Rivendell and maybe to another places. That's the reason why they were camping in the forest tonight.

Gandalf patted his friend's hand and said, "Tomorrow, we will arrive the house of Elrond and we will see."

Frodo looked at the sight before him with awe. Bilbo had told him about Rivendell during their travel but this was better than he expected. An elf came to greet them and took Gandalf's horse and Bilbo's pony to the stable. Frodo gave the elf a shy smile before following Gandalf and Bilbo into the hall. His eyes didn't keep on the path he was walking on but rather on the wonderful painting and the beautiful crafts on the wall he passed by. He then found himself in a great hall, a male elf stood at the center. He wore a silken dark red rope with his black hair braided at the back of his head; letting Frodo admired his handsome face easily.

"Welcome to Rivendell, Gandalf, and Bilbo and." The elf stared at the smallest hobbit kindly. ".the little one."

"Greetings, Elrond," Gandalf and Bilbo said while Frodo only bowed to him.

"This is my relative, Frodo Baggins," Bilbo introduced Frodo to Elrond.

"Hello, sir," Frodo greeted Elrond with his sweet smile though he had to crane his neck because his head only came to about the middle of the Elf's legs.

"Welcome to Rivendell, Frodo Baggins," Elrond smiled to him slightly and led them to a room. It furnished with a set of gold brown cushions, a small craft table in the center, and a bookcase at one-wall and creamy curtains that swung in the air slightly because of the wind that blew in through a door which would bring them to a small balcony.

The little hobbit looked at the cushion worriedly. No way could he sit on it when they were all as high as his head. Gandalf resolved the problem quickly by lifting Frodo to sit beside him on the same cushion.

The three adults began to talk and Frodo listened to them curiously. They talked about Gondor, Mirkwood Forest, Orcs, Mordor and other things that he didn't understand. After about an hour passed, Frodo began to doze off. He had given up trying to listen to them some time ago.

"I see, you are bored with us, Frodo," Elrond stated when he noticed Frodo's nodding head.

The voice woke the Halfling immediately. He snapped his head up as a shameful blush began to creep up on his face. His mouth shaped in sheepish grin to them.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to er.sleep."

"That's alright. You must be tired from your travel. I will call someone to take you to your room. Then you could get some more rest," Elrond spoke to him and rang a silver bell on a table near them.

Just a moment later, a beautiful maiden elf entered the door. She bowed respectfully to them and waited for what her master would order her to do.

"Take Master Frodo Baggins to his room and take care of him."

"Yes, sir," She helped Frodo got off the cushion and led him out of the room.

Frodo took a full look around his room after the maiden left him alone. It had a king-size bed settled in the center. He looked at it wordlessly and wondered how he could lie on it while it was higher than those cushions that gave him a problem a moment ago. Frodo sighed helplessly and walked around the bed to find something that can help him climb on the bed. He found a small stool at one bedside that he could use as a stair to scramble on the mattress. The bed problem was cleared. The next thing he was looking for was his stuff. The maiden told that his things already in his room but he didn't see any sign of it. After a quick glance, the Halflings saw a small dresser in a corner and went towards it. Like he expected, his clothes were already folded in a drawer, his bag was found in another one.

Frodo looked at the bed yearningly but the roar of a Waterfall attracted him to go outside. He walked to the balcony and admired the beautiful sight of Rivendell once more. Deer were striding in the garden, many colorful birds were flying happily in the air and cooing their melodic voices, sometime scooping down and perching on a deer's back. Some rabbits were running or lying calmly under the sun on the grass. It was a very peaceful sight. The little Baggins decided he must go out and explore Rivendell himself.

After a long walk, four times being lost and two times asking questions for the way to go to the garden from the elves that passed by, Frodo finally walked into the garden of Rivendell. The deer and rabbits only raised their heads to see him when they heard a very little sound from his tiny feet. The animals studied for a moment and decided that the little creature like Frodo had no harm to them. Thus they went towards him, a deer nuzzled Frodo's hair while some rabbits danced around him, and friendly blue birds perched on his curly black head and chirped to him merrily. Frodo smiled and began to play with the animals.

Most elves in the Last Homely House heard his laugh and smiled happily. They hadn't heard any children laugh in Rivendell since Aragorn had grown up and that was a long time ago. It felt really good to have a child in Rivendell once again.

Frodo was playing with his furry friends until he felt tired. The cascade wasn't far from where he played and he decided that the waters from waterfall would fresh him up. Therefore, he went to the river with his friends accompanied him. He found a rock sloping into the river and knelt there to splash his face with cool water.

Frodo pulled his handkerchief and dried his face. He looked around and saw a small path leading into the grove. Curious, he walked along the road with a rabbit in his arms and two deer strode after him. The road began to higher and higher. His little legs began to shake, yet he went on and with help from the deer that pushed his back, Frodo finally escaped the grove and stood on the road he had ridden on with his bigger and older friends in the morning.

The Hobbit wiped the sweat out of his eyes with his free arm. He stood on the road where it curved. The sky on the horizon looked dark, the sign that a storm was coming. He needed to speed up his pace if he wanted to return back at Rivendell before it rained. But before he took even one step, he heard a horse galloping towards him from behind. He turned around to see what it was. Frodo dropped on his knees alarmingly as he saw how close the big white horse's legs were. He crouched on the ground and tried to cover his furry animal friend in his arms, anticipated the pain to come in a second. But it didn't.

"Are you alright?" A voice asked him above.

Frodo looked up and saw the elf on the house dismounting. He had blond hair, grey eyes. The bow and a quiver were strapped on his back. He repeated his question again and Frodo felt he must looked like an idiot to not answer, but his throat was so tight that he couldn't form a single word out. So he only nodded.

The rabbit saw the strange elf came near. The wild creature didn't see this elf before and decided that it didn't want to be friend with him. So it leaped out of Frodo's arms, leaving him alone with the elf.

He was kneeling before Frodo and helped him to his feet. The hobbit felt his legs were trembling and it gave up once again. Fortunately, the elf caught him in time before he hit the ground. Frodo looked up at him thankfully and saw the worry in his kind eyes.

"I'm sorry, little one. I didn't mean to hurt you or scare you." The elf apologized to him softly.

"I.I.I'm okay." Frodo said with shaky voice. "It was my fault too for not being careful myself."

"Then it was our fault," The elf said. "Do you live in Rivendell?"

"Yes," He replied though he did not know how long Bilbo would decide to dwell here.

"That's good because I'm going to Rivendell." The elf said. He carried Frodo to his steed and set him on the front of the saddle before mounted behind him.

"My name is Frodo Baggins," The hobbit introduced himself.

"I'm Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood."


	2. At the Last Homely House

All disclaimer see at chapter 1  
  
* * *  
  
Chapter 2  
  
No matter how fast Legolas' horse was, the rain began to fall on them furiously. The elven Prince put the hood on his head and covered the little hobbit with his cloak. Though the clothes shielded Frodo from the cold rain, it can't help much. The water started to seep through the silk fabric. Frodo felt a little dizzy and began to shiver a little. The elf noticed the change in the boy in his arms and whispered to his horse to speed up.  
  
* * *  
  
"Where is the kid go?" Bilbo grumbled as he walked along the hallway that built above the Bruinen river, linked between two buildings.  
  
Gandalf and he had quit talking with Elrond an hour ago. They went straight to see the little Hobbit for found that He wasn't in his room. At first they thought Frodo would go around with some elves because the kid really loved to listen to Bilbo's story about them. They wandered around Rivendell and asked all elves they had met. Finally, they were told by an elf that the little hobbit asked her how to go to the garden and she assumed he might be there.  
  
Unlucky of them, Frodo wasn't in the garden. So they came back to the house of Elrond and explored about the place again, hoped that the little hobbit had returned. Yet, the Goddess of Hope didn't on their side. Hours passed and they still couldn't find Frodo yet.  
  
"I'm very right to not marry and form a family. Children may sweet and cheerful but they always make problems too," Bilbo said.  
  
Meanwhile, Gandalf watched the dark sky above them.  
  
"Bilbo, I'm afraid the storm is coming. Get some cloaks for us and meet me at the doorway. I will seek Elrond's help. We must find Frodo before the rain begins."  
  
Didn't waste any minutes, Bilbo run back to his room. He pulled his cloak from a drawer and went to Gandalf's room to get his. He cursed under his breath on the way to do not watch Frodo closely. He didn't think the boy would make any problem because his nature was gentle and sweet but he did it now. The rain began to pour down, made the lump in Bilbo's heart bigger. The Baggins promised to himself that if he caught the kid, Frodo would get a long lecture from him to make sure that he would not act this again.  
  
He found Gandalf and Elrond at a corner. Elrond put his hand on the Hobbit's shoulder briefly to comfort him and they hurriedly went to the gateway together.  
  
At the door, they saw a man who wore wet cloak walked inside. They couldn't see who the man was because the hood fell to cover half of his face. A mould under his clocked informed that the stranger was carrying something under it.  
  
"Greeting, Lord Elrond, Mithrandir and Bilbo. I didn't think that I'm important for you all to come to greet me together at the doorway," The man said and pulled his hood out. It was Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood.  
  
"Welcome, Legolas. I didn't expect you to come here in the rainy day like this. Make yourself like it is your home. I'm sorry that I'm not be good hospitality. But I have an urgent errand to do. Walk ahead and you will find some elves that could bring you to your chamber," The Lord of Rivendell said.  
  
"I think I can help you, Elrond. If the business you said is this," Legolas smiled and pulled his damp cloak out, reveal a small wet hobbit in his arms.  
  
"Frodo!" Bilbo cried out and ran towards them as Legolas bent down. So the little hobbit can stand.  
  
"Hi," Frodo greeted and grinned at them apologizingly for the mess he surely caused.  
  
"Thank you so much, Legolas. I was worried to death about him," Bilbo said to Legolas and then turned to Frodo with sharp eyes.  
  
"Tell me what you were doing this afternoon, Frodo Baggins," Bilbo demanded on his nephew.  
  
"Okay, dearest Uncle Bilbo," Frodo said sweetly in case it may lessen his trouble. As if Elrond knew his thought, for he said,  
  
"That can wait, Bilbo. We should get him some dry clothes before he catch a cold," Elrond suggested and they walked to Frodo's room.  
  
The Hobbit began to tell his story on the way. Gandalf noticed Frodo walked slower then usual or he can say that the boy was dragging his feet instead of walking. *Poor boy, I don't think he could take much more steps since he had a long walked today.* thought Gandalf. Therefore he bent down and picked the little hobbit in his arms.  
  
No one doubted his action for they noticed the tiredness in Frodo too.  
  
Soon Frodo's story was finished at the meeting of Legolas, passed the position of storyteller to the Prince of Mirkwood. He listened to the elf's voice drowsily. He slid his tiny arms around the wizard's neck and used Gandalf's shoulder as a pillow. Legolas' story ended at the same time they reached Frodo's room.  
  
Frodo felt some itched at his nose. A hand rose up quickly to clamp on his mouth and he sneezed.  
  
Some minutes passed and the adults watched the boy worriedly. His face appeared to red all after the marathon of sneezing stopped. Little poor Frodo sniffed his nose pitifully.  
  
"Are you alright, little one?" Legolas asked as he pulled out his handkerchief and gave it to Frodo who received it thankfully.  
  
"I'm fine, Si." His words cut off as the sneeze came out again.  
  
The wizard put his hand on Frodo's forehead. He frowned slightly at the unusual warmth from the ivory skin he touched. "No fever though you are warm." He noted as a growl emitted out loud from the hobbit's stomach.  
  
Frodo's face turned to red more and didn't thinking, he hid his face in the crook of Gandalf's neck as if it could help him uncomfortable.  
  
Elrond ruffled his curly black hair fondly. The boy reminded him the time when Aragorn was young, though the Dunedain was a kind of serious boy and didn't sweet like Frodo was.  
  
"The faster you clean yourself, the faster you will have dinner and rest." He said.  
  
Frodo looked up at the Lord of Rivendell by the mention of food.  
  
"Okay," He nodded eagerly.  
  
"See you at the dining room." Elrond walked away with Legolas.  
  
* * *  
  
Okay, I know, it's short and fluff. But hey, I want it. Little Frodo seems to want to be HUG (and no one can resist him, of course.) Next chapter will come soon.  
  
And Thanks Kyotora, arabella thorne, and Robin Gurl's INSANE for reviewing me.  
  
El


	3. Dinner

Okay, in the chapter 1, I wrote that Frodo was in the Brandybuckland when his parents passed away. But I was wrong. It's Buckland, not Brandybuckland. Shirelass was so kind to inform me about this. Otherwise, I wouldn't know my mistake and still misunderstood. ^///^  
  
And thanks for the great review I got.  
  
Elvin Flame: try to guess my mother language; I will reveal the answer with chapter 4. ^^  
  
Robin Gurl's INSANE: oh, stop your puppy's eyes. I can't stand it. This is the new chapter you asked me. But update more than one chapter? That's hard but maybe, I could do that.  
  
Kyotora: Here a big teddy bear. 'gives a very big teddy bear with brown furs'  
  
Lily Baggins: ^^ you are my favorite writer. I'm very happy to get your review.  
  
Time for reading now, I see. Enjoy my humble work.  
  
El  
  
  
  
Note: All disclaimer see at chapter 1  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Legolas glanced around the dining room happily. It was almost 100 hundred years since the last time he had met his kindred who dwelled in Rivendell. Nothings changed in his eyes. It always as it used to be, very beautiful garden and various foods. No doubt Elrond had many benefits to be friend with men, dwarfs, wizards and hobbit (even though, it was just Bilbo and Frodo of all the halflings who ever travel far from the Shire).  
  
Mithrandir told him many times that the Periannath was a very interesting race. Bilbo had proved that in the Battles of Five Armies many years ago. Legolas doubted that he would never see the hobbit again but now Bilbo was here with his nephew who looked more interesting than Bilbo. He minded that he had to thanks to Elladan and Elrohir who he met seven months ago while they were hunting orcs near Mirkwood's border. They were friends since the world was so young to them. The twin had invited him to visit and stay at Imladris for a few months. That was the purpose of his excursion. But unluckily, Elrond's children weren't here. They were on the way back from visiting their sister and grandparents who lived in Lothlorien.  
  
His eyes stopped at Frodo. The boy sunk into the pile of cushions on a high chair. The Prince of Mirkwood smiled inwardly when he remembered the helpless look in Frodo's eyes when he looked up at the chair that higher double time of his height. He almost went to offer his help had not Elrond scooped Frodo up and placed him on the high chair that was between him and Glorfindel.  
  
Not only had the problem with his chair, Frodo had a trouble with tableware as well. Though the set was obviously small, which Legolas presumed they were used by Estel once, it still a little bigger for Frodo's chubby fingers.  
  
During the dinner, two high elf Lords helped Frodo with the food such as handed him some loaf and cut the piece of meats for Frodo that the boy received it thankfully.  
  
Legolas noted that the dark-hair elf was talking with the little hobbit with softest expression he had ever seen. It was rarely scene that could happen when considered that the Lord of Rivendell was the person who didn't show his feeling to anyone much, not to mention the stranger.  
  
However, Legolas thought he understand the reaction that Elrond had. Frodo was possessed unique beauty that made him looked like an elf boy instead of a hobbit child. More than that he had something inside of him that Legolas didn't know how to describe. It was.he had the aura of love and light inside of him. Yes, the Elves also had the light in themselves but the light Frodo had, was different from them.  
  
For a minute Frodo looked up from his plate. He caught Legolas' eyes and smile brightly at him. *I hope the twins will come back in a few days. They must be happy to have someone as a little brother again.*  
  
Soon dinner was finished and everyone departed to the Hall of Fire for entertainment. Once again Elrond had to help the Periannath off his high chair. Legolas noticed a slight frown on Lord Elrond's face when his hands touched Frodo's skin during the help.  
  
"Is something wrong, Lord Elrond?" He inquired and stepped nearer them.  
  
The half-elf Lord didn't reply immediately. He kneeled in front of Frodo and touched his forehead and his neck briefly.  
  
"He is getting a fever. We should put him in bed quickly," Elrond replied as he stood up. He saw the unhappy look Frodo cast towards him and patted on the small head gently. "It's the best thing for you, little one. I know from Bilbo that you like story. You have many nights to hear it as much as you desire after you're healthy again."  
  
"Yes. Elrond is right. If you want to hear some stories, I think I can manage to do it for you, little one," Legolas tried to soothe the boy and happy that he did when he saw the bright and pure smile from Frodo.  
  
From the other side of the room, Gandalf and Bilbo noticed something happened and came to join them.  
  
"What's wrong with my boy?" Bilbo asked worriedly.  
  
"It just a fever, Bilbo. Nothing to worry."  
  
Bilbo brushed Frodo's dark hair from his damp forehead. "My poor boy, let's get you in bed," With that, he lifted the boy in his arms. Frodo sighed softly and snuggled closer to his uncle.  
  
"I'll follow you with the medicine, Bilbo," Elrond said tenderly. He tried to suppress his laugh when he saw the distort face of Frodo. "Don't be afraid. I will sweeten it by honey."  
  
"Thank you, Lord Elrond," Bilbo bowed a little and carried his nephew back to his own room.  
  
Legolas looked after the Bagginses until they disappeared from his sight. When he turned back, Elrond was departed to his own chamber to do the concoction, left he with Glorfindel and Mithrandir.  
  
"Bilbo is lucky to have a son like Frodo. He is a sweet and good kid. Sadly, I don't have a younger brother like him," The Prince of Mirkwood stated as they strode into the Hall of Fire together.  
  
"No. Bilbo is unmarried. Frodo is his closest cousin's son. He adopted him after his parents passed away," The gray wizard explained. "If you know the way of Hobbit like I am, you will know that Frodo is smaller and thinner than a kid hobbit should be."  
  
"From my eyes, he ate even more than me at the dinner."  
  
Gandalf shook his head a little from Glorfindel's statement. "That was only a quarter of their usual meal. However, it's a good sign when consider that this was the first time he ate much more than another meals he had after the tragedy," The wizard paused his steps and looked at his friends seriously. "Though the hobbits have outstanding speed to recover, I'm afraid I couldn't say that in Frodo's case. Cheer him up if you can."  
  
Glorfindel and Legolas nodded before they walked into the Hall of Fire. The elf Prince paused briefly at the music and the song he heard from the hall. And then instead of went to join with the other elves, Legolas said farewell to Mithrandir and Glorfindel before he turned back and went on the path to his own chamber which was next to Frodo's room.  
  
  
  
To be continued.  
  
* * *  
  
Thranduil: How dare you write my child to be friends with that half-elf's children?  
  
El: 'shrugs' It's my fic. I can do whatever I want.  
  
Thranduil: You! With the power of the king, I demand you to rewrite it!  
  
El: Shut up. If you bother me anymore, I will make you wed an orc!  
  
Thranduil: 'storms out angrily' 


	4. Is he the one?

To my reviewer: 

Amlugwen: You think Thranduil always get bad part? That's your generous. Because I think it was me who threaten him. I'm the DEVIL! Hahaha…..

Kyotora: ^^ I'm hugging a teddy bear also. *thinks as if it is Frodo*

M14Mouse: Not only you who want Frodo. I want him too. Oh, dear. *glares at Legolas jealously*

Robin Gurl's INSANE: I first planned to post this chapter tomorrow morning but well, that's okay. I finished tonight and so you have it.

Jass: I'm happy to hear you like it. Thanks for wonderful review, your support and your offering to help. I will think about you first when I want help.

Note: As always, disclaimer sees at chapter 1

**Chapter 4**

After three knocks at the door, Legolas pushed it to open. In the room, many candles lit up. Elrond took a seat in a chair near the bed while Bilbo was sitting on a bed and holding a glass of medicine. He said something softly to Frodo at the same time he lifted the glass towards the boy's mouth. Though the little hobbit's eyes watered with the fear of the medicine's taste he expected, he didn't push Bilbo's hand away.

The appearance of Legolas stopped the activities in the room immediately. Bilbo turned to the door to see who was intruded and grinned when he saw the familiar face at the gate.

"Come in, Prince Legolas," Bilbo beckoned.

The elf of Mirkwood went to the other side of the bed and sat on it, his eyes watched at the kid.

"Uncle Bilbo. Why I have to drink this? I'm not sick," Frodo asked his uncle softly, tried the best to convince his older relative that he need not the medicine.

"Because you were wet and you are going to be sick," replied Bilbo. He remembered his older relative said about children and Medicine : No children in the Middle-Earth be easy when they know that they have to have the medicine. That's really truth.

"But Legolas was more soaking than me. He should drink half of this. So he couldn't get sick," Frodo protested softly. He didn't address 'Prince Legolas' because the blond gorgeous elf told him since the first time they met to call him only 'Legolas'.

The big blue eyes turned to look at Legolas. The Mirkwood elf was impressed with Frodo's kind words when he saw the concerning in those eyes as well as tried to suppress the laugh that urge to burst out from his throat when he noticed the hope that flashed in his eyes also. He diverted his gaze to Elrond and saw a tiny smile and the mirthful in his gray eyes too.

"Don't worry about Legolas, little one. Elves don't sick. However, I could get him some medicine later anytime he shows a hint of ailment," Elrond spoke and patted the dark head fondly.

"Oh,"

"Now drink it," Lord of Rivendell took the medicine from Bilbo and lifted it to Frodo's pink mouth.

The boy shut his eyes tightly when the unpleasant taste passed down his throat. After the glass was empty, the long dark eyelash fluttered and open, reveal the tears that threatened to spill out. Elrond wiped the tear gently.

"Good night, little one," said Elrond as he bent down to kiss goodnight on the ivory forehead. 

"Good night, Lord Elrond," 

"Just Elrond,"

Frodo nodded. "Okay, Lo…er…Elrond." 

Legolas on the other side of the bed shifted nearer Frodo and bent downwards to give the little boy a goodnight kiss as well. 

"Goodnight, little one."

"Goodnight, Legolas."

After that Bilbo was on the cue to hug and kiss his nephew. He puffed the pillow and put it back to the bed. Frodo lay down and closed his big blue eyes while his uncle drew the blanket up to his chin. He tucked his nephew into the cocoon so that Frodo didn't kick it out during the night. 

The adults saw the boy's breathe became to even in a minute and walked out of the room quietly. Bilbo said goodnight to them and separated the elves to get some fruits from the kitchen to eat along the lonely night of vigil.

* * *

"Would you not turn to the Hall of Fire with me?" Legolas asked when he saw Lord of Rivendell didn't show any sign to walk with him to the place he meant to spend the night.

"No, Legolas. Though the night is so young and my heart desires the music and the beautiful tales, my body desires another. May you find the entertainment tonight is to your liking."

"I do not doubt that, Lord Elrond. Goodnight," 

"Goodnight."

The Prince of Mirkwood said as he bowed his head a little and walked along the way back to the Hall of Fire.

If Legolas looked back, he would see Elrond didn't move from the spot he stood. Instead, he watched at the younger elf's back until he walked out of his sight at a corner. 

After a few minutes passed, Elrond turned to the door, stared at it for a moment, and then opened it soundlessly. Once again, he paced towards the big bed that seemed to engulf the small body of Frodo Baggins. The mattress sank from the weight of Elrond. He didn't do anything, only watched the boy.

Behind him, a shadow appeared at the doorway and it slid on the floor gradually closer to the back of Elrond until it stopped beside him.

"Do you think he may be the one?" 

"I dare not point out this time, Glorfindel. The best thing we can do is waiting to see," said Elrond. He looked at Frodo's face intently liked he was trying to stare deep down into the core of his soul. A small ivory hand poked out of the sheet and fumbled on it as if he was finding something. The peaceful face a minute ago was crumbled now when his hand can't find what he wanted. With a sigh, Lord of Rivendell grasped it gently and stroked Frodo's black hair as well as leaned forward to murmur some elvish words to sooth the boy with fatherly affectionate. No more than a minute, the hobbit child went back to sleep soundly again.

Elrond adjusted the blanket to wrap around Frodo's body more snuggly and then stood up. Along the time, Glorfindel stood beside him patiently. With one quick glance, the two elves Lord left the room silently as well as when they came in.

On the bed, the pale moonlight after the storm shone passed the high window covered the small figure on the huge bed that was begun to restless as the nightmare started once again.

* * *

Puzzle, eh? What is the 'one' Elrond mean? You will see…you will see.  



	5. Love you, Papa

Since Elvin Flame seems to forget me, I won't tell what my nationality is. ^^ Kidding. It's not like a kind of secret. If you think, I'm Chinese, you're wrong. Japanese? No. it's not that. I'm really certain that you can't guess my real nationality. I'm Thai, from Thailand. Oh, Stop shapes your mouth 'O'. It's above Singapore and Malaysia, looks like an axe, you will see. It has beautiful nature and culture, and it's so hot country. 

To

Aria: Thanks for your review. You get what you want, more chapter ^^

Kyotora: I think you are from Kyoto, Japan which means you can find Frodo doll easier than me. _

Robin Gurl's INSANE: I feel like I see your name somewhere before, not in 'Lord of the Rings'. Did you ever contact with r_azure_r@yahoo.com? oh, don't mind. My memory is rather bad. Good luck with your study, gal.

M14Mouse: ^^ of course. No one doesn't want Frodo?

Lily Baggins: I think more adorable than Frodo must be…mmm…me /someone hits El's head/

Disclaimer: See at Chapter 1

*...* thinks

**Chapter 5**

Legolas walked back to his own chamber, hummed a song softly along the path. Many lamps were lit in the hallway, made light for anyone who passed by. The young prince stopped his pace when his keen eyes caught the presence of something or someone at a side of the path, not far from his own chamber. He stepped to it silently and cautiously; be on guarded if something wick happened. The nearer he stepped to that thing, the clearer he could see; it was the small body of Frodo Baggins. The little hobbit looked like a big ball on the floor. His messy head rested on his knees which was bent up to his chin as his tiny arms folded around them. 

Legolas kneeled in front of him slowly and soundlessly for he afraid that a little noise he may do, would startle Frodo. He heard a muffled sobs from the boy and some incoherent words like 'Papa…miss you... Why?... Don't…away.'

"Frodo? What are you doing here, little one?" The Prince of Mirkwood asked softly. He laid his hand on a little shoulder and winced inwardly when he felt the hobbit's skin was too hot as if he was burning on fire. 

Frodo's head snapped up to face him. Legolas felt a pity in his heart. The hobbit's face was pale, too pale while his nose was red and his sad eyes began to swallow a little bit because of the weeping.

Then, the sadness and mournful in Frodo's eyes fade away quickly like it never been there; and the glimpse of surprise, happy, relief and love flashed in his eyes instead. Suddenly, Legolas was taken aback with the boy's body that flung into his arms

"Papa!" Frodo cried out. His arms wrapped tightly around the elf's neck, liked he was afraid to lose him forever.

The elf understood immediately with Frodo's high temperature. The kid was in delirium state and thought he was his dead father. _*poor little boy*_ thought the Prince of Mirkwood. He carried the hobbit tenderly and stood up, stroked Frodo's back soothingly on the way to the boy's room. Frodo's crying subsided a little as well as his bedroom was in front of him. Legolas patted his little back 2-3 times before he reached his hand out for the door's handle.

"I had a bad… bad dream, papa… I dreamt… you and… mama were…d…dead…" Frodo's words stopped the elf's action for a moment. His eyes turned from the door to the kid in his arms. Frodo's face was paler than a few minutes ago and the new tears poured down on his white cheeks once again. The hobbit buried his face in Legolas' shoulder. 

"I was…s…so afraid…papa…"

Those words stabbed the elf's heart. _*The same word I spoke to ada when nana passed away, so like mine. And yet unlike, I still have ada; but Frodo lost his parents together at the same time, poor boy.*_

"Shh…it's alright Frodo," Legolas said though he thought grimly for the lie he had made but what choice he had, even if it wasn't alright, never be alright for Frodo, it was the only sentence he could think of to calm the boy.

The little head in Legolas' arms rose up from his shoulder and watched straight into his eyes.

"Don't leave me alone again, papa, please. Promise me, you won't leave me."

Legolas paused with Frodo's pleading. Elves always keep their words, especially the promise. They will not make any promise if they don't certain that they could keep it. 

"Shh…quit saying. You are so sick and need the rest," The elf said what he thought was the best. He didn't want to break Frodo's heart as well as he didn't want to make the lie promise to the hobbit. 

Frodo obeyed docilely. He was so exhausted from his fleeting and his sobbing. Beside, he felt cold and hot all over his body. The hobbit began to shiver and snuggle as close as he can to Legolas' warmth body.

The elf noticed the changing and embraced the kid tighter as he pushed the door open. A candlestick was lit on the low and small table which had the plate of fruits and a drink on. Beside it, was a cushion which was Bilbo Baggins laid with a half-finish book rest on his chest. Both table and cushion didn't be here the last time he came in. Thus, he presumed Elrond must command his servants to settle them in Frodo's room, for Bilbo's convenient. The chair that the Lord of Rivendell had occupied a few hours ago was nowhere to be seen.

Legolas walked to the bed and sat on it. He attempted to unfold Frodo's arms from his neck. Unfortunately, the more he tried, the more tightened the hobbit's arms be. In the end, Legolas gave up. He reached behind his head to untie his braid. A brush was needed to untangle his hair but it was on the dressing-table in the bathroom, farther than he bothered to get up and fetch it. Therefore, he contented merely combed his long hair with his fingers. It was very difficult to comb the hair when someone had a child in their arms and that child kept his fingers in their hair. Legolas found this fact when Frodo played his hair in his slumber. However, the hobbit stopped finally and let the Prince of Mirkwood to comb his hair. 

Legolas lay down on the bed with little Frodo in his arms. He pulled the sheet up to the boy's chin and brushed his hair from the damp forehead. Frodo murmured 'Papa' and released Legolas' neck. But to his dismay, Frodo's tiny hands found another target on the elf. His little fingers clutched on the prince's cloth tightly as he cuddled closer to Legolas.

"Papa… don't go."

The Prince of Mirkwood smiled sadly. He kissed on Frodo's forehead and embraced the hobbit. Soon, he too wandered in the dreamland.

* * *

Note: translation

Nana = mommy

Ada = daddy

I think this is the most fluffy chapter in 'Innocent'. Next chapter will longer than this one.  



	6. How could it be?

*phew* I finally done it. Sorry to make you wait a little longer for this part. But you know, a long chapter needs more time too. Anyone who wants to see cute Frodo / Legolas scene, you may ignore this part because this is Elrond / Frodo part. Hehehe…however, Legolas will come back in the next chapter, I think. 

*phew* I finally done it. Sorry to make you wait a little longer for this part. But you know, a long chapter needs more time too. Anyone who wants to see cute Frodo / Legolas scene, you may ignore this part because this is Elrond / Frodo part. Hehehe…however, Legolas will come back in the next chapter, I think.   
To:

Kyotora: Yey! Frodoll! *dance around the room*

Robin Gurl's INSANE: I never tried to know that you love my fic. ^~

M14Mouse: Of course, children are adorable. If you like to see the sick Frodo, you should read Lily Baggins and Claudia's work. They are very good writer.

HaloGatomon: Hai, HaloGatomon-san. I would try to do the best.

Disclaimer: See at 1 chapter 1

* * *

**Chapter 6**

A creak from the door awoke Bilbo immediately. The book on his chest slid off and thud on the floor as he jumped out of the couch. He blinked his eyes to dispel the sleepiness in his eyes, stood confusingly a minute before he remembered he was in Imladris. 

"Good morrow, Bilbo. How do you feel this morning?" 

"Good morning to you as well, Lord Elrond. I feel fine," replied Bilbo. He felt his cheeks hot as he stared at the plate of fruit on the table. _*I should know well that eating a lot of food will make me sleepy.*_ He turned to look at the Elrond and felt awkward. The high lord dressed in golden-brown robe and looked neatly as he always been, while he himself was in disheveled clothes and messy hair from sleeping.

Elrond seemed to know his mind well because he said, "You can clean yourself later before the breakfast, Bilbo. I come to see how your nephew doing."

At his word, the hobbit's attention at himself vanished in the air, replaced with worried of his Frodo's sickness instantly. 

The two different high, age, and race; went to the bed together. What they saw puzzled them. On the bed, the youngest Prince of Mirkwood laid on his side, his strong arms wrapped protectively around the small body of Frodo Baggins who draped one hand on the elf's throat and hid his face in Legolas' chest. They looked so peaceful in their sleep until Elrond and Bilbo hesitated to disturb them. However, it was time for both elf and hobbit to have breakfast, especially the youngest one who needed the strength to fight the disease.

"Legolas," The half-elf called the younger elf gently and shook his shoulder a little while the other side of the bed, Bilbo did the same to Frodo.

Legolas woke up immediately meanwhile the little hobbit still sleepy and cuddled closer to him. The Prince grinned at Elrond and Bilbo, felt uneasy to let the two found him in this undignified state. He gently sat up, but yelped a little when he felt a tug on his hair. Of course, Frodo's tiny fingers found their ways in his hair and entangled it. He had no other choice, except to bend his head near Frodo's hands to recede the pulling on his hair while Bilbo tried to get his nephew up.

Legolas saw the question is the older elf's eyes. "I will tell you later," he whispered. He didn't want to remind the little hobbit about his parents for it would sad the boy more.

Bilbo and Elrond nodded in agreement. The two too, realized it wasn't suit at all to tell anything, with Legolas half-lay half-sit on the bed.

Finally, Frodo opened his big blue eyes groggily.

"Good morning, my dear boy," Bilbo greeted the younger hobbit.

"Good morning to you all," Frodo said. Even his eyes still blur, he could tell that it had more than one figures in the room. He rolled on his back and lifted his small fingers to rub the drowsiness out of his eyes; his eyebrows form into a shape of frowning when he saw the blond treads in his hands. He didn't remember anything about it last night. _*Where is it come from?*_ his eyes traced along the line up until it met Legolas' face. _*ow! I must mess his hair in my sleep when they came to wake me,*_ thought Frodo. He grinned sheepishly and let go of the elf's hair. "I'm so sorry, Legolas."

"That's okay, little one," said the elf, as he straightened himself up and helped the boy to sit up, leaned on the pillow which was fluffed by Bilbo.

"How do you feel?" asked Elrond. And without waiting the answer from his patient, he touched his hand on the Periannath's forehead and neck.

"I feel hot and cold, and I'm headache too."

Elrond nodded, "Of course, little one. It's because of fever. You have to stick on bed for two days, I presume. I will send someone to bring your breakfast up here…" _*with the medicine*_ were the last words he thought to say but changed his mind in the last minute. Frodo's expression was lit up with the telling of food. He didn't want to rub it out with 'medicine'.

"Would you mind to stay with him for a moment, Lord Elrond?" Bilbo asked. He saw an eyebrow of Elrond lift up as if to questioning him. "I think Prince Legolas and I want to clean ourselves before the breakfast but I'm afraid to leave my poor boy alone. Therefore, I ask you a favor to stay with him when I was absence," 

"I would glad to watch him, Bilbo," Who didn't want to be here with this little one? Elrond thought he could never find the answer. 

He watched the hobbit and his kin slid of the bed and walked to the door together. Before Bilbo closed the door, something erupted in his brain.

"Wait a moment, Legolas," He called the younger elf.

"Yes?" Legolas turned back. His hand pulled back from his messy hair.

Elrond hid his grin quickly. He obviously saw that Legolas itched to untie the knots on his head which Frodo had made. He saw the younger elf's hands touched his hair many times before pull them away again. Of course, it would make scene for anyone who passed to see the Prince of Mirkwood busy with his blond hair on the way to his own chamber.

"If you met Glorfindel, please tell him to ask Lulandel to see me in this room before breakfast,"

Legolas nodded and closed the door behind him.

In the room, Elrond sat on the bed and chatted with the little boy, for his patient didn't have the heart to sleep again so soon and he wanted to know more about Frodo. 

* * *

Little Frodo ran out to the garden happily. Behind him, the Lord of Rivendell followed with a book in his hand. He raised his face up and smiled at the sun; happy to have her ray caressed his face again. Two days in his bedroom was so boring even though the elves took very good care at him : Elrond, who came to see him with medicine and books, Glorfindel who visited him with many animal stuffs and toys until his room full of them, Lulandel who came into his room at the first day with a wire to measure his size, Minatha who bathed him to get his fever down, and Legolas who was entertained him with stories. The others were Gandalf and Bilbo. Both usually taught him the formal language, Sindarin, Quenya and sometime constellation or herbs.

Even he loved to learn and eager to read, to imprison in his room was the thing he can't endure. The sound of cascade, the deer's hoofs, the bird's chirped, and the rustles of leaves in the trees were calling him outside. 

After many whiny, many pleads and promised to be a good boy; his real Guardian (Bilbo) and his practically Guardians (Elrond, Glorfindel, Gandalf and Legolas) let him out to the garden, however, under the eyes of Elrond who appeared to have no work today.

His animal friends seemed happy to see him and came to greet him. A deer gave him a deer kiss and a bird cooed a song to him. Due to the fact that he just recovered from sickness, he hadn't much energy to play with his fluffy friends. Beside, any children in his age needed to sleep in afternoon. After a half an hour passed, he felt tired and sleepy. However, the sunshine was very hot than he fancied sleeping under her. He looked around the garden and his eyes paused at a birch. It looked somehow comfort and its branches were big enough to cover him from the sun. He strolled toward, lay back. His eyes closed no more than 2 minutes when a sound disturbed his slumber.

//child…child…//

* * *

Elrond laid the book he was reading on the table and stared in the garden. Frodo was dressed in light blue which made in simplest elvish style and wore a shoe. Yes, a shoe. Bilbo didn't say much about Frodo's clothes when he knew Elrond told his tailors to make some garment for the boy. But the minute he saw the shoe that made for Frodo, he seriously protested : 'hobbits don't need any shoes'. Thanks to Frodo who ended the going-to-be-the-argument by said he didn't mind to try it. And so it was on his feet now.

Once Mithrandir said : 'Hobbits really are amazing creatures. You can learn all that is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you'.

Elrond witnessed it with his eyes. Though the animals in this valley were rather friendly and didn't afraid the elves and some even let his kin touched them; they never play with his kin or maybe it was his kin who didn't want to play with them. Whatever when it came to Frodo, a boy and a stranger, they seemed to trust the little hobbit quickly. No. It was a person whom the animals had been trust, his wife, Celebrian. Elrond had accompanied with her many times when she went to the garden to feed the birds and the squirrels in winter. He remembered the happiness time when they were together, the happiness that disappeared since she left Middle-Earth.

Many hundred years, things were dimmed and lifeless in his eyes, saved only his children and a few friends of him who can make him smiled and laughed. It went that way until Aragorn, son of Arathorn, came to Rivendell for refugee. Elrond named him 'Estel'. Not because Aragorn was the hope of the race of Men but because he ignited the fire of hope in his soul again. However, the Dunedin was grown-up and learned of his real identity. He mostly ventured into the wild, abandoned him with the painful memories of his wife and the unending worried with his sons who devoted their time hunting the orcs.

The arrival of Frodo, Bilbo and Gandalf freshen him much. Frodo's sweetness and merriness lifted the hard burden from his shoulders even it just for awhile he stayed here.

Poor Frodo, he lost his father and mother at the beginning of his life. Gandalf told that the boy had nightmares often and from things Legolas told him about Frodo's hallucination two nights ago, had affirmed it. The little one needed to be love.

Although, Elrond wanted to spend more time with Frodo, he had a lot of works to do. Therefore, it usually was Bilbo and Legolas whom the boy hanged with all the time. He had tried so hard to finish his works and rewarded in the end, one day with Frodo.

* * *

Elrond didn't know how much time passed when he felt something touched his knee. He looked down and found Frodo stood beside there. The expression of the boy alarmed him for it was very pale and sad, and looked like he was going to cry in any minutes.

"Are you hurt?" The Lord of Rivendell asked, expected to see Frodo showing his wound or told him what was wrong but the hobbit shook his head. With concerning, he lifted the little boy to stand on the bench he was sitting. Thus they could talk easier. Moreover, Frodo wouldn't get a neckache like the last time they chatted. 

"What's wrong, dear child?" He asked and caressed Frodo's pale cheek softly.

Instead of replying, Frodo turned his head back to look at the tree where he had slept, and asked. "Do you know that birch?"

Elrond perplexed with the question. He looked forward at the tree Frodo was staring. It was very big tree, ancient as well as this city. It was not like the trees in the forest that was became merely a tree. The trees in Rivendell valley were kind of talking (of course, with tree's language that human only thought it was the rustle of leaves) though they contented to chat with another trees. This birch too, was gentle, warmed and whispered softly as well as a grandmother. But the special of it was Celebrian and he used to spend many times. The night they made love under it and the stars in the sky; the picnic that Elladan and Elrohir played sword-fight in the garden, Arwen crawled towards her brothers and cried at them with her baby-talk, Celebrian who came to pick their little daughter before she could get hurt from the twins' steps; the argument they had under it; the anguish he had after he had rescued his wife from the orcs; the tears he shed when Celebrian decided to sail to the west. It was the audience who watched his life all along these thousand years. After his wife left, hardly would he go to this birch because every times he saw it, all the memories that involved with the tree flushed into his heart and it hurt, it hurt so much.

"Yes, I planted it at the first day I had chosen Rivendell as my home,"

The hobbit turned back and looked straightly into the elf's eyes. His face paled.

"It told me too," Frodo stop, not sure what the elf's reaction would be. He had been told his talking with a tree to his mama once. She listened to him patiently and said she believed him. However, he must keep this secret because other hobbits will not understand his ability and would think he was a liar or told them a bad joke. He was afraid Elrond would think that too. He voiced this to the birch. But it encouraged him by reasoned he can not denied : elves can hear the tree's voice. Therefore, Elrond wouldn't think of him as a little liar. 

However, with Elrond's pale face, he wasn't certain anymore.

* * *

Elrond almost bit his tongue. _*Frodo can hear the tree! How can it be? He's only a hobbit.*_ The lord of Rivendell felt dizzy, his vision blurred, his ears went deaf; it felt like someone told him that Elros, his long dead brother, was here and wanted to see him.

A small tentative hand touched his cheek shyly, pulled him back to the reality. Elrond chastised himself inwardly, _*Compose yourself. You are alarming him.*_ He saw the confusing and the a little fear in the hobbit's eyes, _*He thinks I don't believe him and afraid that I will chide him.*_ He lifted the boy's chin up and smiled at him reassuringly.

"How can you hear it?"

"I...I don't know," Frodo said. His face had more color than a minute ago because Elrond's eyes told him that he trusted what was he said and didn't think it was a kind of stupid joke. "I was sleeping under the birch when I heard a voice called me 'child' and when I opened my eyes, I found that it was the birch that woke me. I was so afraid and nearly ran away. But it begged me to stay. Its voice was so sad. So I sat down. It said that you usually went to this garden with a blond hair woman a long time ago. One day that lady went somewhere and never came back again. And…and it said you are sad because the lady had gone. It wanted to console you but you rarely came to the garden. So it asked me to come to see you in its place to…to comfort you."

Elrond lost his voice for a full minute. Frodo must really hear the tree. It was no way he could know about his wife. Even Bilbo had seen Celebrian from the painting of her; he could not know that he and his wife loved to sit under that tree. How Frodo had this ability? It was only the elves who Iluvatar bestowed this gift to.

Suddenly, the lord of Rivendell felt a pair of tiny arms wrapped around his neck and Frodo's head rested on his shoulder. He returned the boy's hug tenderly.

"Don't sad, please," Frodo whispered. "Mama…mama always hugged me when I was sad. She told that hugging is a cure to shoo the 'sad' go," With that the tears poured down his cheeks. He missed his mama, missed her cooking, missed her song, missed her hug, missed her kiss. Oh, he missed everything that was hers.

Elrond pushed all question aside, concentrated on the boy in his arms.

"Shh…don't cry, little one," he tried to calm Frodo, amused a little that instead of the boy who had to comfort him, as the birch asked, it was him who had to soothe Frodo. Finally, the hobbit's spasm subsided and he lifted his head from the elf's wet shoulder to look at him. 

Even with the grieve he had, Frodo didn't forget the duty he had got from the tree.

"Don't sad okay? I don't like to see anyone sad because it makes me sad too," Frodo said and sniffed his red nose. The lord of Rivendell pulled his handkerchief out and dried the boy's tear, brushed his black hair from the damp forehead and kissed it.

"Make a deal then, Frodo. If you don't want me to sad, you must not sad too. Deal?" Elrond said as he raised his little finger in front of the boy's face.

"Deal," Frodo accepted with brightly smile and winded his little finger with Elrond's.

* * *

On the road, all dust was flowing in the air as two horses galloped towards Rivendell.

To be continued...

* * *

*phew* too long chapter. I'm afraid; many grammar mistakes will slip with this part. 

El  



	7. What was that for?

Don't flame me to be late, fire the Fanfiction.net. I was finished this chapter the day it was down and that wasn't my fault at all.

I think you may puzzle, "Why don't Frodo play with other elves children in Rivendell?"

Well for some reasons, I feel Elves is a race that hardly has children. For an example, Galadriel and Celeborn only have a daughter though they married for many thousand years.

Secondly, they are immortal. So they don't feel it is necessary to have children and some of them prefer to be single such as Glorfindel, Gil-galad, and Legolas.

Therefore the time when Bilbo, Frodo and Gandalf came to Imladris; it hasn't children there.

Is that clear?

Ok, I think it's the time for replying.

Sagesumi: Thanks for answering my question. At first I saw, I thought 'What is it?' before I can remember that I was asked at the end of the last chapter. ^///^ How bad memory I am!

M14 Mouse: You should check on Elwen too. And if you liked to read about Elrond when he was young, I would list the storyid for you when I replied the next chapter.

Dparis: Thanks for your idea.

Kyotora: You must yell at Fanfiction.net this time.

Robin Gurl's INSANE: I already read your story though I'm not a big fan of M/P and F/S. Well, it's nice work. Poor Pip, he wants some hugs from Merry.

DaiChansLady: ^^ I'm happy to know you love it. The most things the writers want is to know that people accept their works.

HaloGatomon: Well, this is the first and the most fluff fic I had written. The result turns out to be better than I had expected.

random flamer: Of course, I know my weak point with grammar. I want someone to beta-read this story too. I had once and felt miserable about it. Because you know, everyone has things to do. I don't want to disturb anyone and don't like to wait the returning fic too. (One didn't reply and one lost my fic somewhere in his apartment and still can't find it now.) So I just go on though I know it must be some grammar mistakes in the story. Besides, I think you all are clever enough to fix the mistake yourself.

Grace: ^_^ Thanks

Disclaimer: See at chapter 1  


* * *

**Chapter 7**

A pair of horses galloped through the gate and stopped at the yard, in front of the building. Sat on them were two elves, one clad in green tunic and the other dressed in brown clothes. They dismounted from the exhausted steeds, patted on their mane softly, waiting for any elves who would come to take their horses to the stable. After only a minute, a familiar figure walked towards them with big smile.

"Hi, Zinthel," The one in green clothes greeted.

"Welcome home, my friend. How was your journey?" Zinthel asked his friends as he drew the reins from their hands and pulled a lump of sugar from his pocket, offered it to the black horse. The beast neighed happily and took it. The brown horse felt it was unfair that he didn't get sugar as his friend had. So he nudged Zinthel's chest to get his attention. The elf laughed and took another lump of sugar for the steed.

"It was good," said the green clothes one. He looked around the yard briefly. No one came to greet them, saved only Zinthel. He didn't disappoint not to get the warm welcome from many elves who inhabited in Rivendell because it wasn't important to him that much. But the absence of a certain someone was weirder than he could ignore. _*He always waits us here. Why doesn't he come today?*_ he thought, and then his own voice replied _*because you forgot to confirm your arrival to him*_ He shook his head a little and smiled at his stupid, forgot Zinthel was standing beside him and glanced puzzlingly at his strange manner.

"Do you know where he is?"

No doubt, if Zinthel was the other elves, he would get puzzled by this query but he knew the two too long to understand what they meant. "The last time I saw him, he was sitting in the pavilion, near the cascade. You may find him there."

"Thank you, Zinthel. See you at the dinner," this time said the brown clothes one before they walked to the said garden.

* * *

The two elves walked soundlessly, admired the beautiful natural of Imladris with the birds' songs and the whispered of the trees welcoming them. The strain and tiredness of travel they had were evaporated into the air. They were home, the place where they could eat nicely, sleep comfortably, spent times with their friends in the evening. But moreover, it was the place where they could feel warm and love in the air, from the person who loved them as much as they loved that person.

And there in the pavilion was that person, sitting with his back on them. They walked silently, expected any minute to hear greeting word from the man in question, however, no word spoken out. They looked at each other surprisingly for it was hardly to catch this man off his guard. Naughty smile appeared on their face. Each knew what was the other thinking. Yes, the opportunity like this was rarely to happen and they won't let it slip away easily. They tiptoed carefully and soundlessly until the man's back was in an arm reached, and then threw their arms toward that person.

"Ada!"

* * *

Elrond jumped in his seat as two pairs of strong arms wrapped around his shoulders from behind with the cry that almost deaf his ears, and the kisses he received on his cheeks. He turned a little on each side and found his twins; on his left, was Elrohir in green tunic and on his right was Elladan in brown tunic. Both twins were grinned happily at him. Elrond smiled back, too happy to chide them at their childish behaviour.

"Welcome home, Elladan, Elrohir," he said and kissed his children's cheek as well.

Elrond forgot the small figure in his lap completely; his attention was on his children. Although, Elrond had the difficult to see his sons for their arms still hang around his neck, he inspected them with a quick glance, relieved inwardly when he saw that they didn't get any injure that needed to be heal. It was an automatically reaction every time the twins came back home. Though this time was different because they only went to visit their sister, Arwen and grandparents, Celeborn and Galadriel at Lothlorien; but who knew, they may tarry on the way to hunt some orcs that crossed their way.

"I don' know we have another brother, ada," Elrohir said and stared at the little figure in his father's lap.

The Lord of Rivendell gazed down and saw a very big pair of blue eyes staring at them. After the childish deal had done, he pulled Frodo to sit on his lap and fed him with cookies and a glass of grape juice. But now the boy turned to face him somehow during the family meeting and watched the twins curiously. In his tiny hand, had a piece of half cookie, some crumb was on the corner of his mouth. 

"Nay, Elrohir. He isn't my kid though I want to adopt him as my fifth children. This is Frodo Baggins. He is Bilbo's relative and heir," Elrond said and took the unfinished cookie on the plate that was beside the grape juice glass.

"Frodo, these are my sons, Elrohir and Elladan," the elf Lord introduced.

"Hullo, Frodo," the twins said simultaneously.

Instead of hello back, the little hobbit lifted his hands to touch the twins' cheeks easily because the twin still had their arms around Elrond loosely as well as their chins that dropped on their father's shoulder. Unexpectedly, he pinched their cheeks almost hardly.

"Aghhhhh!" Elladan and Elrohir yelled together, deaf their father's ears a few minutes this time. Frodo winced at their cry and let their cheeks immediately. His face paled with fear that the twins must be angry at him. He buried his face in Elrond's chest as if seeking his protection.

The sons of Elrond released their arms from their sire. Each cupped their hands on the hurting cheeks, Elrohir at his left cheek while Elladan cupped his right's. The Lord of Imladris stood up immediately, carried Frodo with him, to examine their sore spot.

"Are you two alright?"

"Of course, ada. He didn't hurt us much," Elrohir answered.

"Pull you hands out, let me see them," commanded Elrond while he looked at the black head that tried to emerge into his bosom if it could. He doubted the hobbit's action greatly as he checked on his sons. Even though Frodo was a little boy and had a little strength to harm the adult elves such as Elladan and Elrohir, the twins' cheeks began to appear the bruise that will adorn their faces for three or four days before it would disappear.

"What was that for?" Elladan asked, his voice had a hint of anger and confusing. His hand caressed the hurt spot tenderly.

Frodo didn't answer; instead he cuddled closer to the elf that was carrying him.

"Frodo, it's okay. They don't get mad at you," Elrond patted on the small back reassuringly, stroked his head softly to relax the poor boy.

"I'm sorry. I…I thought one of you was wearing a mask," Frodo whispered, raised his head from the elf's warm chest and peered back at the twins.

"No, we weren't and never. This is our real face, little one," Elladan said as he walked closer to the hobbit, gave him a better sight to see his face. He lifted a soft hand that was clutched his father's robe to touch his uninjured cheek. "See, this is my real face, warm and soft. Proof it with your eyes and hand but please, don't pinch me again," Elladan added at the end with the laugh in his voice and let the little hand caressed his cheeks, his forehead, his nose, his brown, his mouth and his pointed ears.

Elrohir too, allowed the little hobbit to caress his face like his brother.

"I'm so sorry," Frodo said after his inspection finished. He leaned closer to the twins and kissed their injured cheeks softly. "My mama said a kiss will cure the wound. Better?" The boy smiled proudly that he could remedy their bruised cheeks.

The elves smiled at the boy's childish behavior. "Yes, we feel better,"

"Let's head back home, ada. We are tired and need a bath so much," Elrohir said.

Together we went back to the Last Homely House.

* * *

On the way, the hobbit was transferred from Elrond's arms to Elladan's. And the twins began to tell their father about their travel to Lothlorien; Arwen, their sister; the city of golden mallorn which Frodo listened to quietly.

They met Legolas on the way to the twins' room. The Prince of Mirkwood smiled to see and his friends and hugged them greeting, of course that meant he hugged Frodo as well because the little hobbit was in Elladan's arms.

"Hullo, Elladan, Elrohir."

"Hullo, Legolas," The twins greeted the elf simultaneously.

The prince's perfect eyebrow frowned slightly when he saw the red marks on their cheeks. The first idea that came to his thought was the twins may try to court some maidens but those women didn't want them and pinched the two for daring to woo her. However, pinching was a kind of teasing. Besides, who didn't want to be their lover? The sons of Elrond Peredhel were well-known as the very hot elves who the maidens wanted to…aham…have a burning night with.

"What happened to you two?"

Instead of the twins, it was Frodo who answered the question, "Don't ask." The hobbit told and clapped his little hands on Legolas' mouth, stopped him asking further.

The elf Prince smiled playfully and pulled the hobbit's hands out. "This is the funniest news I've got this year, that the hunter of orcs, like you, got hurt from my little dearest one."

Elrohir and Elladan only grinned at that remark.

"I'm afraid I have to go," He said to Legolas before turning to give some words with his sons, "If you don't mind, Elrohir, Elladan look at Frodo for me and bring him to the dining hall with you," With his sharp eyes, the half-elven noted that the twins were taken to Frodo quickly. This may make them stay at home for awhile.

"We would love to do that, ada," said Elladan.

With the confirmation from his child, Elrond patted Frodo's head a little and went to where he thought he could find Gandalf. He had something he wanted to know and the wizard may be the only person who could answer it.

* * *

The three elves and a hobbit went to the twins' chamber finally. Elladan's bedroom was next to Elrohir's. Their rooms were special from the other rooms in Imladris because they had a connective door. Thanks to their fathers who had farsighted enough to order the worker to make them since Elladan and Elrohir were born. So the two could see each other easily every time they wanted. Many nights when they were young and afraid of thunderstorms or nightmares, one of them would creep into another's bed and sleep in each other's arms. Though they were grown-up now, the connective door still was useful when one of the twins can't sleep, and seeking another's presence to talk or dispel the loneliness in their hearts.

They chose to enter Elrohir's room with the reason that it was the nearest to them. Some servants already fix their bathtub for them in each room. Usually, they will part to clean themselves in their own bathroom. But this evening, they decided to bath together in Elrohir's room. Elladan discharged Frodo from his arms and went through the connective door to fetch some clothes, leaving Legolas and Frodo with Elrohir. 

"Want to take a bath with us, little one? You look a little cold. Warm bath may help you feel better," Elladan invited kindly when he came back.

Frodo wrinkled his nose as he smelled his clothes. He was playing on the grass under the sun and rolled around with his fluff friends. No doubt, it smelled rather bad. However, he didn't have any clean clothes with him. He preferred to wear some clean clothes rather than wore this one again.

"But I don't have other clean clothes,"

"I will ask a servant to bring your clothes here," Legolas offered for he thought it was a good idea for the boy to clean himself before dinner. Besides, the hobbit must take a bath this evening anyway. 

"Thank you so much, Legolas," Frodo smiled happily and hugged his leg gratefully before skipping happily towards the bathroom where the twins were waiting for him to join. 

The Prince of Mirkwood grinned at his little friend and went out of Elrohir's chamber.

* * *

Legolas shut the door behind him and walked to the door which he presumed to be a bathroom door. Exactly, it was. He pushed the wood opening and let it ajar a little. Thus he would hear when the servant brought him Frodo's clothes.

He stared around the room with awe. The tile and bathtub were made of white marble. Actually, it didn't look like a bathtub at all because it was set into the floor like a large pool. The craftsman who had responsibility to build this bathroom was thoughtful enough to craft a stairs inside the tub. Therefore, the one who used the pool will go up easily. At a corner, it had a shelf of soaps, shampoos, sponges and several the bathing oils and such. Beside the cabinet was a basket to put the already-used-clothes in and another basket that contained some new towels. Around the room were various hanging plants all over, some were blossoming, making a pleasant smell floated in the air.

The last ray of the sun shine passed the dome glass on the roof, caught on Elladan, Elrohir and Frodo. The hobbit was hanging on Elrohir's neck and standing on his legs. So his head was over the water.

"Legolas," Frodo called when he saw the blond haired elf entered the bathroom, swimming to the stair slowly.

The Prince of Mirkwood raised an eyebrow. As far as he knew, the hobbits were fearsome of water. However, Frodo's mother was a member of the Brandybuck clan which was known as a strange clan in the Shire. Because they lived near the Brandywine River and some Brandybucks can even swim. Thus, little Frodo learned how to swim from his kin in Buckland.

"Help us with him, Legolas," Elladan said and threw a bottle of shampoo and a bar of soap at him.

"Okay."

Legolas caught them in the air. He put the bath things on the floor, removed his shoes and his robe, and then rolled his sleeves up. Therefore it wouldn't get wet. He sat Frodo on the stair and started to clean his young friend. At the other side of the bathtub, the twins began to clean themselves too.

The elf Prince just finished scrubbing the hobbit's limb when he heard a knock on the door. He stood up, left the bathroom and opened the door. There was a servant, standing with Frodo's clothes in his arms. The prince thanked him and walked back to the bathroom. He was entering the bathroom when he heard the boy asked the twins.

"'ladan, why do you and 'rohir have the same face?" 

Legolas watched the twins amusingly. Replying to kids in this age was not easy. They were curious with a lot of things that were hard to find ad answer.

He sat on the same spot he had left and put the clothes behind him, prevented it from the water and started to shampoo the boy's hair. 

At the other side of the bathtub, Elladan stopped his hands, thinking hard how to answer the question. He felt that if he wasn't careful, it would lead to another question that was more difficult than this one. 

"Because we are twins. We were born together though I was first and Elrohir came after me," He replied carefully, hoped that the boy will be satisfied with the answer and didn't ask him further. 

"I think I understand," Frodo said, didn't pay attention about the twin anymore.

Elrohir relieved with the result and changed the subject, "You want to go camping with us?" 

Frodo didn't hear 'camping' before. It wasn't the word that someone could hear much in the Shire because it wasn't hobbit's tradition to go outside and had a camp in the wild. And if someone thought to do it, that person would get the dislike watched from other hobbits. Because wasn't it queer, to sleep on the grass and leafs while you had a nice warm bed with a soft pillow and a blanket to cover yourself. The puzzled expression of the hobbit reported the elves clearly that he didn't understand 'camping' at all.

"Camping means going outside and have meals under the sky and trees plus sleep under the moonlight and Elbereth's stars," Legolas explained.

"Yeah, I'm going with you," The hobbit agreed, threw his arms towards the twins as if he wanted to fly to them. Legolas had to catch the overload cheerful child to stay still.

Elladan and Elrohir laughed at Frodo's exciting. "You could go, little one. But you must get permission from my ada, Elrond and your kinsman, Bilbo first,"

"Okay. I'm going to ask him," Frodo said with enthusiasm and sprang up on the stairs, ready to dash out immediately.  


"Wait a moment, Frodo. You need to rinse your hair, dry and get dressed first," Legolas said and pushed his charge to sit down. So he could rinse the bubble from his curly hair. He washed the hobbit and took him out of the pool while the twins were still busy with their hairs. Legolas picked a towel from the basket and dried Frodo before he dressed him with the clothes he had got from the servant. 

"You two should get out soon or else you will get wrinkles like an old man," Legolas said before he carried Frodo out of the bathroom.

"Yeah, Mithrandir would be happy to hear that," One of the twins shouted after him.

Legolas chuckled at that yell as he dropped Frodo on Elrohir's bed and left him there. He himself went to the dresser to find a brush. However, the boy was too eager to wait. When the elf turned back to the bed, he had already run out of the room.

Legolas sighed; he threw the brush on the bed and followed the hobbit.

* * *

Thanks to my dear Shane who was so generous to check this chapter for me before he goes on the beach this weekend, else you would see more than 20 grammar mistakes in this part. ^_^  



	8. That's Why

ha…finished it finally after changed it many times. My plot bunnies were on the vacation and just came back. Hmmm…that's problem. They always sneak out when I don't watch. Bad bunnies. I must punish them for this.

Disclaimer: All Characters are Tolkien, only Lulandel and Minatha were my own cameos.

Note: Another note and such see at chapter 1

Sagesumi: I've already decided to reveal the answers about Frodo in this chapter anyway. ^_^

Robin Gurl's INSANE: That's my fault, not Shane. I must overlook before I post the last part. Frodo got sick? Mm… I will think about it. However, I don't like him to get sick. So it may be I who get sick and be cuddle with the elves. Oh, la la.

MunchingRobin: Many days I got headache from Frodo. It's good idea to hand him to the elf and then I could go on holidays. Hahaha…

Kyotora: I always think the Elladan and Elrohir are pranksters and Elrond is their victims, plus Glorfindel and sometimes Arwen when she is home.

Aria: So energetic child, is he, huh?

Ruth: Maybe not. But nah, it's just a fanfiction. Do not serious about it?

HaloGatomon: That's children, can't make them stay still more than 10 minutes.

elfhobbit: ^^ I like that one too. Frodo with animals is so adorable.

dark hope: Thanks. ^___^

I hope anyone who read this will enjoy my fic. And thanks for reading.

El

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Frodo ran out of Elrohir's chamber. He stopped a moment, turned his head to right and left before he ran on the way that he remembered he had passed with the twins and Legolas. Not too long, he reached the crossway Elrond had separated an hour ago. He halted his feet because he didn't have memory about this path. 

Sighed softly, the little hobbit blamed his illness that restrained him within his bed chamber since the first day he had resided in Imladris. The first day he out of bed and no exploring had done. He walked slowly, admired the exquisite painting on the wall. Never once in his life, had he saw anything beautiful like this. If he was another child, he would tear with fear of get lost. But Frodo wasn't the kind of that. The simple life in the Shire and the protection he got from the elves here, made him knew not what was fear like.

Frodo turned on a corner and saw someone approaching him. It was the elf he had seen in the dining feast two days ago. He had heard someone called the elf 'Eleto', no it was 'Erestor', his name. _*He should know where Elrond is*_

However, Erestor didn't notice the hobbit's presence a bit. Like most elves or Frodo would rather say, like most the Big folk, they rather looked about their eyes level, not on the things down. His uncle Bilbo was easier to see but for Frodo who was only their knees level usually got ignoring from them though they didn't mean it.

Frodo just understood at all, why men thought the hobbits had magic to disappear. It was the men who made that magic, not the hobbits, themselves. Men tended to overlook them. That was the reason why they usually surprised to see a halfling, as they liked to call, when they gazed down in front of them from nowhere (silly thought of human) or disappeared in a minute (stupid believed too because the hobbits can't vanish in the air).

Frodo waited until the elf came nearer.

"Hullo, sir," He cried out.

At first, Erestor turned around himself quickly, looking for the person who called him but when he saw not, he gazed down until his eyes met Frodo's.

"Hullo, Frodo. How are you today?" The elf smiled and kneeled down. So their high would not different much. He saw Frodo's hair still wet and frowned slightly. The little periannath just recovered from the ailment, the cold from his head might bring the relapse easily.

"I'm fine, sir," Frodo said, didn't realise the worry the elf had. 

Erestor disagreed inwardly; the idea to get Frodo's hair dried was the first thing that came into his mind. He thought to bring the boy back to his bedroom, dried his hair and tucked him in bed as soon as he can, had the boy not say the next words.

"Could you tell me where can I find Elrond?" Frodo asked hopefully that Erestor would know, and then his wandering would be end.

The elf pondered the question a little. He knew the half-elven was in his study with Glorfindel, Gandalf and Bilbo and looked like they were to discuss something. Erestor hesitated between brought Frodo back to his room or brought him to Elrond's study. Disturbed them this time wouldn't good but he knew Elrond's affection with the boy and it may happen that they didn't mind at all. _*Besides*_ considered him, _*My Lord always has some towel in his study. Frodo could get his hair dry.*_

"Of course, go with me," He offered his hand to the little boy and Frodo put his hand on the very large hand trustfully.

* * *

In Elrond's study, Gandalf, Glorfindel and Bilbo were sitting on a set of maroon couches, listening what happened in the garden. 

At first, Elrond intended to find the wizard only. However, Glorfindel was the other person who noticed something special in Frodo, and Elrond was certain his friend must want to know this news from him. And another person he can't forget, Bilbo. The old Baggins was the boy's uncle and he had all rights to know everything that involve his younger relative.

The Lord of Rivendell had told his servants to search for his friends and bring them to his study as soon as possible. And now the three were here, listened to him with thoughtfully showed in their expressions.

"I didn't know before that Frodo could hear the trees," Bilbo said, broke the silent that consumed the room after Elrond ended his story.

"Did he tell you when he had recognized he could hear the trees?" Glorfindel asked, his brain was calculating the possible reasons for this discovery. Elrond and he had sensed a special aura from the little hobbit since the first time their eyes dropped on the small figure.

With the delicate grace and particularly beautiful he possessed, Frodo could count as an elf, save only his shorty body, curly hair, and hairy feet that identified him as a halfling. But that light, the unique light Frodo had, made him and Elrond confusing. It was familiar to the light of the elf, yet somehow different. That was the reason why they decided that night to keep their eyes on the little hobbit.

Glorfindel had watched Frodo with scrutinizing eyes every times he went to visit him between the boy's sickness. The more he stared at the boy closely, the more he certain about the hobbit's real nature. 

Frodo wasn't a mere hobbit at all.

What was this sweet child?

* * *

A quick glance at Glorfindel, Elrond perceived what things that stormed into his friend's brain were.

"He said he had heard the tree once about four months ago in the old forest. It was a very old tree, he thought. He ducked through a hole in the fence to explore like a curious child may do. That tree's mind is corrupted. It hated any moving creature, and cursed him, threatened him. He was so scared and ran back home with tears. His mother found him hiding in his own blanket and refused to get out. I must say his mother was a smart woman. She coaxed him to tell her what happened. Little Frodo told her about that tree and never told anyone about this again because his mother had forbidden him to not tell anyone," Elrond said.

He zipped some tea from his glass to quench the thirsty. His eyes stared at the wizard who was all the time silent as if he turned into a marble. If someone could answer him, it must be Gandalf the gray who loved traveling all the time or at least Elrond thought he loved. Moreover, he seemed to be the only one who interested the hobbits and befriended with them along a few centuries. 

(**Note**: From '**The Hobbit**', a Tolkien's work, Gandalf knows the Old Took. And in ROTK the family trees of the hobbits show that the Old Took was lived in 1190-1320 and Frodo was born on 1368, years in the Shire Calendar. So it clears that at least, he knows the halflings for 200 years though I think he must know this folk before this Old Took long ago.)

Gandalf twisted his beard a little, bad habit that he still can't give up.

"This is quite interesting," The Istari murmured. "You said Frodo had exchanged some words with the birch."

"Yes," Elrond said, waiting for the explanation which he knew it was coming.

"It has a rumour in the Took Clan that one of a Took had a fairy or an elf his wife," The old man said.

"Yes, I heard that from my Old Took too," Bilbo admitted, remembered the time he sat on his grandfather's knees and listened to his relative Took about the adventures they had. The tale about Fairy wife was one of them he had heard. 

Gandalf continued, "I didn't believe both for I never seen any fairy and I never heard about this relevant with the elves too. However, Frodo is the proof to certain that it's not the rumour at all," he paused.

The room went very silent until if the needle fell on the floor, everyone would hear. Neither of them took any heed at the sound outside nor the wind that blow into his room. Gandalf's voice somehow enchanted them with the tale.

Bilbo licked his lip nervously. "You meant one of my Took ancestors really took a wife that was a…"

"Fairy, Bilbo," The old man interrupted. "I think it was a fairy," He stopped again, waiting for their response but no one wanted to say anything. Their attention was on the story.

"As far as I know, Fairy is closer to the nature than you elves. I rather say it has a bond between the two. The Fairy can understand the plants as if it is a part of them. They acquaint with the animals also. I think that's why the animals don't afraid of Frodo. Those wild creatures must somehow sense his real nature.

"However, by the theory, the fairy blood in Took Clan will decrease along the many generations. From my reckoning, Frodo must have it very little in him." With that Gandalf stared at his friend, "You, Bilbo must have it more than your nephew."

"I don't feel anything abnormal like that," Bilbo said, shook his head a little to emphasis his sentence.

"It's not abnormal, my friend. It's the nature of Fairy," The wizard corrected the old hobbit's misunderstood.

"Say about that, why had the Fairy blood awoken in Frodo while *you* and the others who related with the Took still unaware of it, I don't know."

Elrond and Glorfindel absorbed the knowledge them got from the wizard silently. They understood why Frodo looked very different from other Periannath now. The reason of all was 'the Fairy Blood'.

His beautiful, his grace, his light, his friendly with the animals, his talking ability with the trees; they were the gift which had descended to Frodo by birth.

Still a question in their mind didn't get the answer yet. The last thing Gandalf spoke. Why had the Fairy Blood in Frodo awoken? Why?

Suddenly they heard two knocks on the door. In usual situation, the one who disturbed them would open the door themselves. But today, Elrond decided to latch the door for secure the invasion that may have. So Glorfindel had to get up to let whoever at the door in.

The blond haired elf opened but no one was there. _*Maybe, the twins played their prank on us again*_ He thought a little angrily. Though the twins were in their majority now, they never given up their games.

Well, it did have one person but he was very small and Glorfindel looked over his head. Though the blond haired elf didn't see the quests, the others in the room did. All alarmed simultaneously when they saw the elf was going to shut the door while Frodo just took only a step inside.

"Don't Glorfindel," They cried together.

It was too late, the door bumped on Frodo's forehead. Not very hard, but still sent him tumbled backward on the floor.

"Ow," Frodo moaned and clapped his hands on his forehead.

Glorfindel gazed down when he felt a crash on the door and a groan below. With alarming to see it was the little halfling, he bent down and scooped the boy up immediately.

"I'm so sorry, little one. I really did not see you," He apologised and used his free hand pried Frodo's hands out of his forehead. He relieved inside that the halfling didn't get blood from the blow, only a little swell on his ivory forehead.

Behind him, his friends rushed up to see how the little hobbit was. Elrond hurried back to a cabinet in his study. Thanks Illuvatar that he had thoughtfully filled it with some fresh herbs and some medicine for simple wounds. Many bottles stood in row neatly. He picked the bottle he wanted, and pulled a towel his servant had stuffed in this cabinet just in case like this.

He turned back to the couch and saw that they all sat. The elf Lord of Rivendell sat beside Glorfindel who still carrying Frodo. The little one was dazed from the blow. He inclined on Glorfindel's chest comfortably and let the Lord of Rivendell examined his injure. His eyes wandered around the room. He saw Gandalf and Bilbo sitting together on a coach. Their eyes were full of worry. Before him, was Elrond whose hands caressed around his arms, legs and every parts of his body that may get hurt. Finally, he touched lightly on the swell on his forehead.

"Ow! That hurts," He protest and pouted to the elf Lord.

"I'm sorry, dear one. I will give your uncle an ointment to smear on your swell. So it will down faster and disappear in two or three days," Elrond said and uncorked the bottle. The fragment of herbs smelled in the air. He poured some of it on his fingers and smeared on the swollen Frodo had. The half-elven finished his treatment quickly. 

"How can you come here? I thought you never see my study before," Elrond asked and handed the towel to his friend. Glorfindel received it and began to rub the periannath hair, carefully to not touch the mound.

"I found the elf named Erestor on my searching for you and he kindly took me here before he went back," Frodo's voice tremble a little from the shaking on his head. 

Glorfindel rubbed his hair until it was dried enough and put the blanket on the small table, started combing the black curly hair with his finger because it hadn't any brush in this study. He marked to tell the servants to put one on the cabinet.

"Can you tell me what are you doing here?" Elrond asked. He doubted the twins may do something that made the little boy had to find him for refuge. _*That's ridiculous, Elrond. Your sons love children, you know that. Never will they bully the kids, especially this one. They seemed to enjoy each other so much.*_

"'ladan and 'rohir said about 'camin' and I want to go with them," Frodo replied. The eager to go outside with his new friends and the headache he got, made him forgot the true word of 'camping'

"What is 'camin'?" Bilbo asked curiously. They all knew well that 'camin' must be one of children's vocabularies that the kids adapted it from some word.

"They said 'camin' is like going and eating outside, and sleep under the star, kind of that. They told that I must get Uncle Bilbo and your permission first," Frodo said, his azure eyes pleading at Elrond, "Please, I can go with them, can't I?"

Elrond turned his eyes to Bilbo, afraid if he saw that eyes too long, he couldn't refuse the hobbit's begging.

"What would you say, Bilbo?"

"umm…I…" Bilbo hesitated. He didn't want his nephew to go out into the wild. Who knew what would happen with him. He may meet some wolfs or some orcs or worse, the trolls. Besides, Frodo just recovered from the cold, going outside under the hot of the sun and slept under the coldness of the moon might make him sick again.

"Please, Uncle Bilbo, Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase," Frodo looked at his uncle with puppy eyes.

_*Oh, dear. I hate those eyes. It makes me can't deny him anything,*_

"I trust the twins could take care Frodo," Bilbo said, didn't regret at all after his decision when he saw his nephew beaming. He bet the lasses in the Shire would fight to get this lad when Frodo grew up and that would be the entertaining he mustn't miss. 

"Thank you so much, Uncle Bilbo,"

"If you allow, I will allow you too," Elrond said though he sighed inwardly. He must have a word with his sons before they went on their picnic.

"Thanks!"

* * *

Note: Edain is the second people. That means 'MEN' who comes after the Elves.

This chapter was so difficult. I didn't remember how many times I changed. About Erestor, he is only a cameo of my story. I don't know much about him, except that he is a high Lord in Rivendell. So I don't want to write about him much because I don't know his information. If someone knows where I could get his data, please tell me.

Sorry for my grammar mistakes. Shane still on the vacation and I can't get anyone beta for me. Anybody wants to help me?

oh, one thing. If you have some time, check on this side. I just found it two nights before and it contains some of Rivendell's information.  
http://imladris.nu/

And you could find the map of Rivendell here.  
http://imladris.nu/riv_detail.jpg  



	9. River, Accident and

Sorry for my late, everyone. I think you all are frustrating right now when I would post this part in Fanfiction.net. Many things did happen. Yahoo was the big part of the problem. I sent this chap to my beta-read by attached file to her. Strengthly, she can't open it. So she mailed me back, informed me what had occured. BUT I didn't get her mail at all. (Really don't know why) SO I didn't know until a week later when I mailed her again. This time I got her reply mail. I cursed Yahoo for all the late that happened and sent this part to her again. And I just got it back yesterday.

Please, don't look at me like 'Why you just post today?'

Well, my internet time was running out before I can post. I just straighted back from the shop and logged in a moment ago.

mmm...Let me see who I didn't reply at the last post.

marbienl : Thanks for reading and reviewing. Actually, Frodo must get blood from kncoking the door but I was too lazy to describe all the healing that would happen. So I content with making him bang to the door. Poor him. er... what sounds? _*El looks at the dinning table*_ Oh! No...Frodo, two of that cakes are mine! _*Frodo attacks all ten pieces of cake El has*_ Oh! My! He ate them all! _*El sits down again sadly*_ That's the problem if you have a hobbit in your house. Estel/Aragorn? You will see.

NekoNinja : ^^ Everyone loves him, you know that.  
  
tidus2529 : Thanks to follow this story so far. 

Sophara : I can't help myself. I love animals and always want to play with them. So I made the story that way. Beside, it needed to emphasize the fairy blood in Frodo.

Thanks to Lily Baggins, my beta-reader for helping me with this story.  


Thanks to NekoNinja, victoria ridell, IceAngelmoni14, Mariska Bierkens, and Halo Son for sending thier experiences and ideas about camping to me.

Thank you for all to read this fic. I can't believe my eyes when I saw that I got many feedbacks. You all make me VERY happy.

Yet again -

**Disclaimers** : read at chapter 1 

(**Note**: I think you all already know the size of Frodo. This is only to remind you. Frodo is just a little above your knees---about 18 inches tall. His hands are about a fourth of your hands and only half of your palms. Well, think of the children in FOTR or you could think of hands of a one year old child.)

**Chapter 9**

Legolas opened the door silently. The light from the hallway shone past the gate on the small figure of Frodo Baggins on the bed. He quickly shut the door when he saw a movement from the mattress. The room turned dark again except for the first light of the day that passed the window and set itself on the bed a foot away from the hobbit. 

He sat on the bedside, carefully not to jostle it too much. He always thought this bed was too big for his much younger friend. Frodo looked lost in the sheets and pile of pillows. He was sleeping soundly on his side, one of his hands lying before his face while the other held a stuffed rabbit close to his small chest. It was one of a herd of stuffed animals Glorfindel had kept on bringing to console Frodo while he was bedridden because of his sickness. And the animals were now scattered on the empty side of the bed, looking at him with their innocent lifeless eyes.

The prince of Mirkwood brushed a black curl out of Frodo's eyes, letting his fingertips linger on the hobbit's cheek. He wondered, if he had a younger sibling, would he or she be like this periannath? A murmuring sound pulled him out of his reverie. The elf pulled his hand back, afraid that Frodo would wake. He was relieved when the boy only moved a little in his slumber and fell back into dreamland again. It was too early for children to get up and Frodo needed to sleep a little more before the traveling began.

Thanks goodness that today the twins, Frodo, and he would finally go camping. After Frodo had run away from him, he couldn't find the boy anywhere until dinner. He saw Glorfindel enter the dining hall with the uncooperative hobbit in his arms. With him came Elrond, Gandalf, and Bilbo. His decision to chide the boy for his sneaking out disappeared when he saw the mark on his forehead. The Gondolin elf caught his eye and told him what had happened. He always thought being small was beneficial to hobbits to hide themselves from anyone but well, maybe it wasn't an advantage at all.

Soon the twins came and dinner started. During dinner Elrond had told them Frodo must stay at home for two days at least because he wanted to ensure that the hobbit was strong enough to travel. Frodo protested a little but stopped when the twins said that they wanted to prepare. Besides, they had just came back home. They desired to rest more than anything.

However, after two days passed, they still stuck to the Last Homely House unavoidably, for the rain decided it was a suitable time to fall from the heaven. Three days it rained, not a downpour, but a drizzle. However, that was enough to make everyone annoyed because they couldn't go outside without getting wet. Frodo too was uncharacteristically moody about this situation. That was easy to understand; the poor boy was very excited about going camping but had to stay inside the house on account of the rain. 

Legolas thought, amused, of how he and the twins had tried to entertain Frodo in the last few days. All the games they had played while young had been played with the hobbit again. If they weren't playing games, they would tell the boy of many tales or the adventures they had had. Finally the rain had passed Rivendell to visit another place. But still they had to wait for two more days so the ground would dry enough for camping. Frodo was depressed with the wait-more-days news while the servants busied themselves packing things for traveling. 

At last, the day had come when they would go out camping and have fun together.

The creak of the door pulled Legolas back to reality. He saw Minatha entering the chamber. The maid halted her steps when she saw the unexpected guest in the room and curtsied to him.

"Good morning, Prince Legolas."

"Good morning, Minatha." 

"If you would like to help me, my Lord, please wake Frodo while I'm preparing his tub," Minatha said and walked to the bathroom, but didn't wait to hear his reply.

Legolas smiled after the blond-haired elf. She had been the nanny of Elrond's children plus Estel and had performed duties as one of the housekeepers in the Last Homely House after that. She seemed to enjoy her task as nanny so much that even those who were adults now, she still fussed over sometimes and her concern passed to him as well. After Frodo came to Rivendell, she found her nanny job again. It was obvious to many elves that their Lord was very fond of the little hobbit.

The elf prince looked down at the small angel.

"Frodo."

The hobbit stirred a little and sank back into the soft mattress again. He mumbled something in protest and pulled the sheet to cover his head, as if he was trying to hide in the fold of the blanket. 

"Frodo, wake up," Legolas called again. Nothing happened. _*Well, I know how to get you up, boy*_ he thought evilly and began to tickle the boy's waist.

It worked. Frodo jumped up immediately. 

"Lego…ah…haha…no…s…stop," Frodo gasped, trying to get his breath. His big eyes brightened up and spilled with tears from laughing. He used his tiny arms to protect his waist as well as tried to avenge Legolas back. The ticklish war between the elf and hobbit finally ended by the panting and sweating two figures on the bed.

"Stop playing, boys."

A voice came from the bathroom. They turned together and saw Minatha there. She went to them and picked the exhausted Frodo up, wiped the sweat off of his damp forehead tenderly and cast a disapproving stare at Legolas.

The prince only grinned sheepishly at her. Minatha shook her head as a sign of _*You are incorrigible, Legolas*_ before she carried the hobbit to the bathroom.

Legolas chuckled. He sprang up and grabbed Frodo's pack from the cushion and walked out of the room.

* * *

The courtyard was full of people. Elladan and Elrohir were getting a lecture from their father and Gandalf with "You must take good care of Frodo," "be careful about the wild creatures," "make sure that he eats enough at every meal," "cover him with a blanket when he sleeps," "don't lose him," "where is the first-aid kit I gave you?" etc. Legolas was in this situation also with Bilbo and Minatha, who gave him much information about Frodo. For example, "He likes to drink something warm before he goes to bed," "he often has nightmares," "he doesn't know that some wild creatures are dangerous---he might try to befriend them, you mustn't let him out of your sight, etc."

Before the traveling started, poor Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir were dazed with a ton of advice which they could only remember half of them.

Meanwhile, the Prince and the twins were getting headaches. Glorfindel and Frodo were happy with each other's company. The elf lord carried Frodo to see the horses as well as tried not to be in the way of the servants who were packing things in the saddles. 

The steeds neighed their greeting to the elf. They eyed and smelled Frodo in Glorfindel's arms curiously, for they never seen anyone so small such as Frodo before. Legolas' horse nudged the hobbit's head gently as if it was saying "Hello, I remember you, little one. I suppose we are journeying together again."

"Give these apples to the horses---they like to eat them," Glorfindel said and gave one of the apples to Frodo but the hobbit's hands were so small he had a hard time grasping the apples firmly in his hands. 

Frodo did so obediently. He patted and hugged each horse briefly after they took the apples from him. 

Glorfindel lost his count sometime at "I will remember" from Legolas at twelve; and "yes, we understand, ada" at fifteen and "we would do that, Mithrandir," at eight. The last two were from the twins. He had heard those words since the packing had begun and they hadn't stopped yet. 

The elf sighed inwardly; deciding that he must rescue Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir. Then the three elves and the hobbit could set out from Rivendell before noon.

The elf lord tapped on Elrond's shoulder first. The half-elf stopped his sentence and looked at him with a question in his eyes.

"I think it's high time to go, my lord."

Elrond stared at the sky and his cheeks got a little redder when he noticed that it was late in the morning. His sons and their friends should take off soon before it was too hot to travel under the sunshine.

"Yes, you are right," the lord of Imladris admitted with some hesitation. He still wanted to give more words to his sons. However, time was running out. Therefore, he had to believe that the twins would know what they should or shouldn't do.

"Good journey," he said and walked them to the horses that were waiting for the riders patiently.

Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas sighed inwardly. Each looked at the blond-haired elf thankfully and mounted their horses. Glorfindel waited a moment and gave some time for Legolas to adjust before lifting the periannath to the elf who took him easily and set Frodo in front of him. 

This deed was meant only to prevent jealousy between the sons of Elrond. Although Elladan and Elrohir loved each other, there was still competition between the two. Thus it meant Frodo would stick with the Prince of Mirkwood until the end of this camping.

The three elves and one hobbit said farewell and began their journey.

* * *

Elladan and Elrohir rode their steeds happily. 

At first, Elrond had protested why they wouldn't set their camp in Rivendell valley. It was safe, easy and not too far.

It was so tempting but the twins knew well about the elves in Imladris. Elves needn't sleep. Some of them wandered around the forest when all their duties were done. Many liked to sing songs that made Rivendell's valley full of song such as Bilbo and the dwarves heard the first evening they reached this valley. Those songs may not have been loud, but still disturbed the camping anyway. Thus, they insisted on going camping outside.

Three horses went southward as their masters wanted. Why didn't they go another way? Because the east was the way Frodo had come; nothing interesting to go that way again. And if they went to the north, they must be careful not to go so far for it would bring them to the troll's nest and that would be the most unfortunate event that could happen to them. The west wasn't interesting, unless they wanted to climb the Misty Mountains and if the angel of fortune turned against them, they would meet goblins. Therefore they didn't want to risk it. Besides, if something happened to Frodo, Elrond, Glorfindel, Minatha, Bilbo and Gandalf would undoubtedly skin them alive. 

When all ways had been discussed, the only path they could go was south.

The stallions galloped slowly and smoothly on the soft grass and the brown leaves of the earth. On the way, the elves would teach Frodo about the types of trees. Sometimes, they would point out the birds that flying over them and told the hobbit the birds' names. 

They stopped at noon under the trees to have lunch. Minatha had thoughtfully packed many foods in the bag: six loaves of bread, a jar of honey, a big chunk of butter, sliced ham, some lettuce and tomatoes (that was on top of the stuff---so it wouldn't be crushed). They had a wonderful meal and rested for an hour after that before they continued their travel again.

In the evening, they found a river. They rode a little more until they found a small yard which was in the shadows of the trees and perfect to cover them from the sun. It was a nice location.

"We will set our camp here," Elrohir shouted at his friends and brother who were behind as he pulled the reigns back. The horse halted a little before he stopped. 

The others did the same. Elladan dismounted quickly, almost sprang off, and lifted Frodo off Legolas' stallion so the prince could get off his horse easily. A minute after Frodo's feet touched the ground, a loud grumble emitted from his stomach. The poor hobbit blushed immediately while the elves chuckled with amusement.

"I will get some wood to make a fire. Thus, we can feed this little hobbit before he faints from starvation," Elladan said and went into the forest. But not before he gave a pat to Frodo's soft hair.

"What will we do for this meal? We have already eaten half of the foods Minatha prepared for us. We should keep some for tomorrow," Legolas said as he dug into a saddle bag to get the kitchenware he wanted out. He laid a knife, four forks and four plates on the ground. Of course, a set of fork and plate were small for Frodo's sake.

Elrohir thought briefly. The glow of the river caught his eyes.

"Fish, I think," he replied and pulled some bread and butter out, laying them on a piece of cloth that he had laid on the grass so the food wouldn't get dirty from the earth.

"Good idea," Legolas grinned. "What do you think, Frodo?"

He frowned when he heard nothing from the hobbit. He looked about him and found the hobbit walking toward the river. He dropped all the things he carried and sprinted toward the boy, afraid that he would fall into the stream and drown. The elf caught the hobbit's arms a few feet from the riverbank. Frodo stumbled backward from the sudden pulling. He gazed at Legolas, confused. This was the first time he had seen seriousness in the elf's expression. 

He didn't like it when adults showed this face because that meant something bad had happened and he was in trouble.

Legolas caught a startled cry from Frodo. He smiled reassuringly at the boy and knelt down. It was easier to see each other's eyes that way. Moreover, it was a tactic to make children feel better. Children tended to get frightened when they gazed up at one taller and bigger than them.

"Are you going to the river?" the elf asked, tried to calm his tone though some strain appeared. He hoped Frodo didn't notice it, for he didn't want to alarm the hobbit any more.

"Yes. I'm hot and want to wash my face and hands," the hobbit replied, puzzled as to why Legolas acted seriously.

"Then we will go with you then. The water is rather flowing fast. It's very dangerous for you to go alone, Frodo," Elrohir said from behind, making Legolas and Frodo jump. They hadn't noticed a bit when the son of Elrond appeared.

Elrohir had removed his tunic, leaving only a soft shirt. His breeches were folded up above his knees. He stood there with bare feet; one hand held a spear while another held a pan. He had tethered the horses to the tree, many feet from the plates, and let them have their grass before he went to the river. Of course, it wasn't necessary to bind the intelligent stallions because they would never get themselves lost, but the bread and butter might vanish in their bellies when the elves and the hobbit came back if Elrohir didn't tether them.

"All right," Frodo nodded. His bare hobbit feet wriggled impatiently as Legolas removed his own boots. The hobbit was glad that he didn't have to wear shoes again after that day in the garden with Elrond. The lord was so nice to him about the clothes but shoes didn't suit him at all. His feet felt hot and sweaty within them. He didn't understand at all why men and elves wore such boring things like boots.   


Before long, they walked to the river together. The elves found a small bay which suited Frodo because it wasn't deep. So they left the halfling by himself, not worried that the hobbit would drown. Besides, they didn't want the boy to see them killing the fish. It wasn't good to let any child watch such things.

Elladan returned from gathering the wood and made a fire on the shore. The smell of burnt wood affected their stomach. The image of fried fish floated into their head. Elrohir caught seven fish for them. Legolas cleaned the fish and managed to get their bones out with his knife so Frodo wouldn't have any problem with it. Elladan came to join them with a dish in his hand because the pan they had brought wasn't large enough to contain all the fish they caught.

Suddenly they heard a loud splash from where they had left Frodo. All turned to look but didn't see the little hobbit. They sped to the small bay with alarm and saw the stream was floating Frodo away from them. Legolas hurled himself into the river and swam to the poor child. He grabbed the hobbit's arm effortlessly and brought him back to the shore.

"What happened?" Elladan asked as he got hold of Frodo, who was trembling with cold and fright.

"I slipped out of the bay and the river floated me further," Frodo said and wrapped his tiny arms around Elladan's neck. He felt cold from his wet clothes and the wind didn't help him any. The elf tightened his embrace and carried him back to the fire with Legolas. Elrohir departed to get the fish and the spear from where they had left a moment ago.

Legolas pulled his extra clothes out and changed behind a big tree, letting Elladan took care of Frodo. In a minute, he returned to the fire. Frodo stood in front of Elladan, who was buttoning his shirt, also the elves' style like the wet clothes. After that Elladan pulled the hobbit into his lap and began to dry his hair with a small towel. The boy sat silently and ate the strawberries that Elladan found between gathering the wood; his blue eyes stared at Elrohir, who was cutting the fish to pieces. No doubt about it, the child had had only two meals today. It was really unnatural for the hobbit when considering that they ate five or six meals per day.

The prince of Mirkwood laid his wet things on the ground neared Frodo and helped Elrohir prepare the dish. He jumped a bit when he felt a pair of small arms wrap around his neck and a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you for saving my life," and with that, Frodo ran to the horses. In his hands were three strawberries for the beasts.

Legolas smiled after him.

* * *

The stallions welcomed Frodo happily. They bent their heads down and took the strawberries from the small hands and let him patted their faces.

Frodo blinked his eyes briefly when he saw something yellow from the bushes that were behind the horses. Curiously, he decided to go exploring.

"Hello," he said, hoping that any animals there wouldn't be alarmed by his presence.

The thing in the bushes didn't move. It stared at him with yellow eyes. Frodo walked toward it slowly. He was only a few feet from the bush when someone called him.

"Frodo Baggins, dinner's done."

The little halfling forgot the yellow eyes and ran back to the elves, his mind occupied with food. If he turned back to see that creature, he would have seen its malicious eyes and sharp teeth. 

"We foundd it preciousss. The Bagginsss."

To be continued...

* * * 

What do you think?

Review please ^.~


	10. Fried Fish

Yo. How are you all? I'm quite busy this week and will be more busy in the next week as well before things would loosen up and gave me some times to breathe easily. So the next chapter might use a longer time. Besides, I'm beginning a new story too. I hope you will enjoy this chapter. 

Thanks Lily Baggins who do me a big favor by beta-read this chapter and the rest of this story

Thanks all the readers who follow this story so far both who reviewed and didn't reviewed

And Thanks to

Robin Gurl's INSANE : I saw that one you said about Pip too. It's a good work and I like it much. I don't know that you babysit children and I have no idea what does babysit look like too. It came from my experience when I was a child and we had a nurse in my house.

HaloGatomon : I don't know who I wish to be between Frodo and Legolas. Maybe, I want to be Frodo. SO I can hug Legolas everytime ^___^

NekoNinja : It's good for Frodo to be loved after all the tears and mournful about his parents.

Marbienl : Thanks for your great review and good idea. You will see what will happen though it's not the way you want.

Gia : Thanks for reading. But this chapter hasn't anything excite or bad yet.

Elvin Flame : Don't worry, I chase Gollum away for a moment.

Elfhobbit : I think you mean about this one ~ it was a tactic to make children feel better. Children tended to get frightened when they gazed up at one taller and bigger than them~ right? Well, I imagined Frodo with his 1 and a half feet and Legolas with at least 6 feet. And I shuddered with that. Of course, it might frighten Frodo sometimes too.

Disclaimer : See at chapter 1

*...* for thought.

'...' for some saying but not out loud or the sentence in the past.

**Chapter 10**

Legolas blinked his eyelashes briefly. The silence of the night disappeared as the sun rose. The birds woke up from their dreams, chatting with their friends and family loudly, which probably meant 'where are we going to get food today?'

The elf smiled at the beauty of nature. It seemed like he was home in Mirkwood. Lying outside under the trees and the stars was something that Sindar elves, like him, loved to do. The love for the forest ran in his veins.

He felt so fresh and full of energy because elves need not to sleep much and last night he had had the opportunity to sleep fully, instead of taking watch as Elladan and Elrohir. Of course, he felt guilty because of this. Every time they went to hunt orcs, they always shared the watch. But this time was different---he benefitted from being exempt and that benefit was lying in his arms peacefully.

Frodo was lying on top of him. His head was buried in the shallow of the elf's neck. The young hobbit shifted a little, rubbing his forehead softly on the elf's chin. One of his hands pulled the stuffed dog, which Minatha had put in his bag, closer to him. Another hand was fisted around Legolas' blond locks. It was Frodo's habit that everyone knew well. If he fell asleep in anybody's arms, that person would have to stick with him until morning because he wouldn't let that person go easily. He would grasp their clothes or their hair tightly. Most unlucky or lucky, whichever you think, was Legolas, in whose arms the hobbit usually slept in, or whose lap he sat in, while listening to tales in the Hall of Fire. Even Glorfindel and Gandalf were caught by Frodo once.

Legolas turned his head aside to the twins, careful not to jolt his younger charge. Elladan was lying on his side, watching him with blurry eyes, half awake and half asleep.

"Good morning," the son of Elrond whispered.

"Good morning," Legolas whispered back.

It was too early in the morning and they didn't want to wake the two sleepers. The two lay silently until the Prince of Mirkwood felt a movement in his arms. He looked down. Frodo yawned, showing his tiny teeth before smiling at him. Legolas sat and pulled Frodo up with him. The hobbit's fingers let go of his hair. He dropped the dog down and rubbed his eyes, then stretched his body gracefully like a cat.

"Good morning." He greeted a new day to Legolas with a hug before standing up and went to greet Elladan in the same manner.

Certainly Elrohir got his greeting as well though it wasn't the way he wanted.

"Good morning, 'rohir," Frodo shouted near the elf's pointed ear and jumped on him.

The poor elf started immediately when he felt a weight on his stomach. The brightest smile was in front of him. He smiled back playfully and grasped the boy before rolling about, careful not to crush the small body when Frodo was beneath him. Their laughter blended together for a few minutes until the roll ended with Elrohir under Frodo.

"Good morning 'rohir," Frodo said with huge grin, panting a bit and rolling off of the elf.

"Good morning, Frodo," the elf said and stood up, pulling the boy onto his feet with him. Elrohir heard a little grumble from Frodo's stomach and realized it was time for breakfast. He gazed at his brother and his friend who were grinning at him. Elladan's eyes said, 'You wouldn't want me to cook, brother,' while Legolas' eyes showed 'I just cooked last night. So it's your turn now.' He groaned inwardly and looked down at the halfling.

"What do you want for breakfast?"

Frodo didn't waste any time thinking at all.

"Fried fish!"

* * *

The Lord of Rivendell was obviously absentminded during Glorfindel's report. They were in Elrond's study. The owner was sitting behind his desk, holding a quill in his hand though he didn't note any words on the paper at all. The half-elf sat still as if he was listening to the report but in truth, he didn't hear any words at all. His mind drifted off to the certain group that was somewhere in the forest.

Glorfindel sighed softly. He raised one of his eyebrows in amusement. It was hard to see Elrond in this state. He wanted to put the report on the table that sat between them and walked out for he realized it was not necessary to go on with the subject while his lord wasn't paying any attention to him. But this work was needed urgently and they must finish it today.

"My Lord?"

No response.

"Elrond?" Glorfindel tried again. It worked. The elf in question stared at him, apologising at his absentmindedness. The tip of his ears turned red with shame.

"Sorry. Where are we?"

"You think about them." Instead of replying to the question, Glorfindel pointed out what was disturbing his master and his friend.

Elrond sighed. He put the pen down on the table and leaned back in his seat. Even though he mastered himself to act normally, his longtime friends such as Glorfindel always knew his mind anyway. _*I act as if it's any other day, don't I?*_ he questioned himself. _*Maybe not*_

"Yes. I was thinking about Elladan. Yesterday, I forgot to forbid him to do that."

Glorfindel felt trouble too, though he didn't show it on the surface.

"Elrohir wouldn't let him. We know that very well," he reassured the lord of Rivendell. Although, his mind started panicking with what things would happen if… he shuddered inside at his imagination.

"That's right, my friend. We will know when they come back. Let's start our work again," Elrond said as he picked up the report to read himself as Glorfindel explained the situation to him once again.

Although the elves tried to keep busy with their work, their minds were still occupied with the three elves and a hobbit outside Imladris.

* * *

Frodo gazed at the fish in the pan with amusement. He was standing beside the unavoidable cook, Elrohir. The oil danced merrily in the pan when the elf sent the fish to swim in it. The smell of honey that Elrohir had painted on the fish was floating in the air.

The periannath started at the elf's demonstration and imagined what his uncle would look like when he woke up in the mornings and saw Frodo carrying fried fish or pork or chicken, whatever, into his room. _*Bilbo would be happy*_ he thought. He imagined that his uncle would smile and hug him and announce that he was a good boy.

However, he must learn how to cook first.

"Can I fry the fish too, 'rohir?" Frodo asked, hoping that Elrohir wouldn't refuse him like his mother 'No, you can't. You are too young to do that.' These were the words she used when he asked her about cooking.

Elrohir deserted his eyes from the pan to Frodo. He looked at the pan and the raw fish that were lying on some large leaves. Last night they had left some fish, which Elladan had wrapped in some large leaves, so they wouldn't have to fish again in the morning.

"I just want to know how. So I can help Uncle Bilbo do some cooking when we get home." Frodo gave his reason to the elf, praying in his mind. _*Say yes, please, yes, yes…*_

"Are you certain?" Elrohir asked. Frodo was so small to do any chores but well, it was his demand. Besides, he thought, Frodo might want to cook himself when he was hungry and Bilbo appeared to be not at home. Food was always the most important thing to any hobbit.

Elladan and Legolas said nothing, knowing too well hobbits' love of food, and they thought, like Elrohir : 'Frodo should learn to cook.'

"Yes," Frodo nodded with eagerness.

With that confirmation, Elrohir pulled the hobbit nearer to him and started his teaching.

"First, you must lay the pan on the fire like this." He paused to make sure the hobbit was tracking his words. "Then put some oil into the pan and wait until it boils like you see it right now.

"Put the fish down. You see, it's changing its color." The elf laid two pieces of fish in the pan.

"Yes, it becomes white," Frodo replied.

"Good. You must wait a little and flip it to another side because if you don't, the side that doesn't touch the hot oil will be raw," Elrohir said and gave Frodo the fork he had used as a flipper. It was made of wood. Therefore it was light enough for Frodo to carry easily. The periannath received the fork and stared at the son of Elrond as if he was asking for an order.

"Flip it," the dark haired elf said and guided Frodo's hand that was grasping the flipper to the pan. "Flip it," Elrohir repeated again when he saw the hobbit hesitated to turn the fish to the other side.

Unfortunately, Frodo overestimated. He thought the fish must be heavy, so he held the flipper firmly with his two tiny hands and flipped it with all his might.

"Oops," he exclaimed as the fish flew out of the pan and landed on top of Elladan's head.

"Agrrrrrrrr…" The poor elf cried out and jumped to his feet. His hand dusted the hot object out of his hair and he ran quickly to the river before hurling himself into the stream.

The others ran after him. All were worried, especially Frodo, who was as pale as paper. He grasped Legolas' legging with his trembling hands and leaned on his strong legs.

In a minute Elladan waded back to the shore. He chuckled a little at his unlucky event and grinned at Frodo a little to reassure the boy, though he still felt pain.

"I'm sorry 'ladan. I didn't mean for it to happen. Are you all right?" Frodo asked; his head peeped behind Legolas' legs, wishing the blond- haired elf would save him from Elladan's wrath.

"I'm quite fine, little one. The one you must apologize to are the fish and the crab that freaked out when I threw myself into the water," Elladan said. He bent his knees a little to rub the boy's hair. The water from his hand dripped onto the hobbit's head.

"Just one thing..."

"Yes?" Frodo raised his head up to see the elf.

"Fly the fish to Elrohir's head next time."

With that word, he was pushed back into the river again by Elrohir's hand. Elladan grasped his brother's ankle and tripped him into the water with him. The twins wrestled in the water as if they were only one hundred years old. Legolas and Frodo joined the battle too.

They didn't know how long they were in the river until Legolas stopped his fight as he sniffed something in the air---something burning.

"The pan!!!" he cried. Elrohir had put two fish in the pan. One had flown out but one was still in the pan.

All hurried to the fire they had made. Elladan jerked the pan out of the fire and dropped it immediately because it was too hot to hold. They all looked at each other and the fish, which was dark and hard instead of bright brown.

No one said any word; only the grumble from their stomachs could be heard.

"Go you all, change your clothes and come back to help me do sandwiches. I will fry all the fish we have," Elrohir said and shooed his companions away while he started his cooking again; chuckled a little as he eyed the fish. Mithrandir said the true 'Hobbit is an interesting race in Middle Earth.'

* * *

Legolas laid the plate of wild strawberry near their bags. It came from the same strawberry Elladan had found yesterday. The Prince of Mirkwood walked silently to the small body that was huddling in the blanket.

Frodo was taking a nap as children should. He slept on his side, one hand tucked under his chin while another hugged his stuffed dog. Legolas hesitated between letting Frodo get his rest more or waking him up now. After a battle in his mind, he decided to leave the boy for a moment. The hobbit must recover from the swimming after their breakfast in the morning. He really deserved to get his rest.

The twins were on the shore. Elladan was piercing a piece of rabbit on the sticks his brother had carved.

The brothers had hunted some rabbits in the afternoon while Legolas watched over Frodo, and they returned to the encampment with five rabbits. The twins used the time Frodo slept to prepare the food for their dinner. They cleaned the rabbits and sliced them in many pieces, then mixed them in the pot with the herbs they had found while hunting so the meat would have more taste. They waited an hour for the herbs to seep into the rabbit before piercing them with the sticks. Some of which were made small for Frodo's hands.

Before long, all the game was on the sticks. It was time to wake the hobbit up.

"Frodo," Legolas called and Frodo blinked at him groggily.

The elf disentangled Frodo from his blanket and carried him to the river so the boy could wash his face. Washing the face with cold water was always the best method to wake someone up. Afterward Frodo felt less drowsy than he had a minute before.

They walked back to the fire and began to have dinner together.

* * *

Elrohir poked the wood on the fire. Around him all was silent, for the others were sleeping. He was the only one who was still awake in this late hour. He had watched for two hours and still had another couple of hours to go before he could wake Elladan to take over his watch.

"Mmmm…"

The elf jumped a little at the sound. He turned around to see where it came from and stopped at Frodo. The halfling was lying in Legolas' bedroll. He lay on his side with his back pressed to the elf's chest. He was hugging one of Legolas' hands close to his chest instead of the stuffed dog that was lying on the ground near him.

"…not full yet…" the hobbit murmured with a sigh and snuggled up to the hand.

Elrohir chuckled softly. Frodo was really a hobbit; he thought about food even in his sleep. This evening had been headache for the boy. They had suggested to him "you should turn the meat to the other side" or "don't protrude it near the fire too much" or "no, you must wait a little more. It's still a bit raw," or "do you want to eat my stick?"

The halfling tried to comply with all they had told him. However, the result turned out to be inedible. Of the stick the boy roasted, one side was burnt dark and another side was half raw.

Finally, the elves had had to roast the rabbit for the poor boy unless Frodo would eat nothing or would get sick from eating the rabbit he roasted.

Suddenly, Elrohir felt uneasy. He smelled an unusual thing in the wind. His elven sense told him that some wicked things were going to befall them. The horses were restless also. They strode to him silently and nudged his shoulders as if seeking comfort from him. The elf whispered soothingly in elvish to the stallions and the beasts calmed down only a bit.

The dark haired elf stood up. He picked up his bow and the quiver, deciding that scouting the area would help him settle his mind.

He walked through the forest for twenty minutes, then heard the voices he was accustomed to. It was orcs.

To be Continued...


	11. Battle

Yo. How are you all? Sorry to do not post this chapter sooner. Lily and I were busy with our real lives. That always happens, you know. 

Thanks Lily Baggins and Mabienl who do me a big favor by beta-read this chapter.

Thanks all the readers who follow this story so far both who reviewed and didn't reviewed

And Thanks to

Gia : I wondering what was your idea.

HaloGatomon : ^///^ those are my fav as well. Sorry to hang this story up for long.

NekoNinja : Thanks for your replying. Who would know that the story that started between one of my hardest time will be the one that many people like? 

Cele or Celest : Thanks for reading it. I love to know that people like my story because I would feel bad to know that no one likes this story. ^_^

Erin bla bla (frodo fan) : OK. You have it. My computer is stupid sometimes too. T-T

Elvin Flame : I need your help to get rid of the orcs too! Help!!!

woodelf193 : Sorry to take this chapter too long. Well, I must say grammar is my weak point because it seems I always forget the rules. lol

Disclaimer : See at chapter 1

*...* for thought.

'...' for some saying but not out loud or the sentence in the past.

**Chapter 11**

Elrohir sneaked back to their encampment silently. The others were still sleeping like he had left them. He went straight to his brother and shook his shoulder. After only a second, Elladan's blank eyes turned to focus on him. Elrohir put his hand on his twin's mouth, preventing him from saying anything out loud.

"Orcs," he whispered and pulled his hand off.

Elladan nodded. He stood up quickly, went to the fire and kicked the wood out before stomping on any sticks that still burned. Soon the fire died out and everything went dark.

Meanwhile, Elrohir woke Legolas and Frodo.

Legolas blinked his eyes softly, trying to get used to the dark surrounding him until his eyes caught on Elrohir. He didn't ask him at all for he could foretell something wicked must happen. Firstly, Elrohir wouldn't wake him up unnecessarily. Secondly, the tension on his face confirmed his prediction. Thirdly, he smelled the foulness in the air which only orcs possessed.

"Orcs?" Legolas asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Yes. Let's hurry. It's about a hundred miles from my surmise,"   
Elrohir said.

Legolas nodded and disentangled himself from the hobbit. Fortunately, Frodo was lying on his side with his back to him; only his hand was caught by the boy. He gently pried his hand out and went to his bags, putting on his quiver, arrows, bow, and his sword and discussing with the twins at the same time.

"What are we going to do?" Elladan asked. Though he wasn't afraid of the orcs at all, he had to consider Frodo's safety first.

"Run. We can't risk getting Frodo in any battle. He's too young and too innocent for such a fight with blood and corpses. If he saw it, it would frighten him, scare him and certainly, affect his life somehow," Elrohir said.

The others agreed. Children absorbed the things that surrounded them. Just hurt, brutality, horror and all unhappy things were enough to craft and wound their minds deeply. And when it occurred, it was very hard to cure and might not be able to be cured at all.

Legolas went back to wake his younger friend from their bedroll, which was not easy if you knew children well. They cared not how serious the situation was. The only things they wanted and needed were food and sleep, especially at night. Frodo therefore, didn't cooperate with Legolas at all. The elf had to shake his shoulders and slap his face lightly to get his blue eyes opened.

"Mmm…" the boy murmured sleepily, wondering why the elf had disturbed his rest in the middle of night. He gave the elf a big yawn and rubbed his eyes before glaring at his bigger friend indignantly.

Legolas cared not at Frodo's anger. He thought only of getting the boy to a safe place now.

"Listen to me, Frodo. The orcs are going in this direction. We must get out of here now," he said, feeling bad about telling the boy the truth that would scare him. However, it was better than a lie and gave the boy reason. Besides, his keen sense told him that they couldn't escape without a big fight. Therefore, Frodo should have some time to prepare himself for what he might see.

The little figure in his arms tensed; the small shoulders shuddered with fear and pressed closer to Legolas as if asking his protection. Legolas hugged the boy tighter and whispered some soothing words.

"Don't be afraid. I won't let anyone harm you, I promise."

Frodo said nothing, only wrapped his arms around the elf's shoulder with trust.

Legolas carried the boy to the horse. The elf was going to lift the hobbit onto the steed's back when an arrow shot toward them.

With his elven skill, Legolas dodged the arrow in time. However, his horse wasn't as lucky. The arrow pierced his rump. The poor horse cried out with startle but didn't run away.

The elves realized they couldn't escape easily. Each slapped their horse.

"Get back to Rivendell!"

* * *

Elrond Peredhel was sitting on a stone bench in the garden, staring at his father's star, Earendil, when Glorfindel rushed toward him in a rather ungraceful manner.

"My Lord. I have a serious tidings to inform you," the elf lord paused briefly. "The horses are back and they have many wounds on them."

Elrond gasped. He stood up and walked back to the house, inquiring of his friend on the way. "How are my sons and the others?"

"They didn't come back with the steeds." Glorfindel knew that his Lord must understand what might have happened. He also worried about them so much though his anxiety couldn't compare to Elrond's. He watched the half-elven's expression. It was paler than the moon.

"Erestor is setting a trap while we are talking."

Elrond gazed at his friend gratefully, doubting where he would be without this elf. Glorfindel always knew his duty---how to do and when he should do it. His responsibility as the Lord of Rivendell would be harder if the blond-haired elf wasn't there.

"Well done, Glorfindel. Do Bilbo and Gandalf know?" He didn't want them to know yet. For Gandalf, he didn't mind if the old wizard heard of this bad news because the man had passed adventures enough to compose himself in such a situation. However, Bilbo was different. He was afraid the old hobbit would insist on going with them. Elrond understood Bilbo but the last thing they wanted was to be tardy. The hobbit couldn't be as swift as his force. Thus the elf Lord was relieved to hear the answer.

"No. There's no need to disturb their rest. I shall come back in the morning with your sons and our guests."

The Peredhel stopped his feet and stared at the blond-haired elf. _*How can he think I wouldn't go out to save my sons? I know it's his duty to protect me but he should have known better that I can't stay here while the twins are in danger.*_

"You aren't going alone. Give me ten minutes to arm and I will see you at the gate. Erestor will organize here during my absence," Elrond said and hurried to his own chamber.

Elrond pushed the door open; he didn't care to close it a bit. He changed his formal robe to a tunic he snatched from his wardrobe. His armories were grasped from its shelf in a hurry. The elf would have run out of his chamber if his healer sense hadn't stopped him. He walked back to the hearth. On the mantelpiece was a wooden box that contained dried herbs and medical kits that might be needed. He picked the item up and rushed out the door.

_*Please Illuvatar save them. Don't let them be like Celebrian.*_

* * *

Legolas left the twins behind and ran into the forest. All the time, Frodo clung to his neck tightly with fear. _*I have to find a shelter for Frodo first,*_ Legolas thought as he fought the orcs who came into his way with his long knife. He ran farther a bit after he shook the orcs off his tail. A very big and tall tree was in front of him. _*This will serve my purpose well.*_ He climbed it immediately, up and up until he found one spot where two branches joined out of the tree. Frodo could sit on them comfortably enough and wouldn't fall out of the tree either.

Legolas sat on a branch and pried Frodo's tiny arms out from around his neck but the hobbit didn't allow it. His little figure shuddered with silent weeping as he buried his head in the elf's chest, asking for his protection.

Legolas stroked Frodo's back a bit and tried again with more force. This time, the hobbit's arms unleashed from his neck and the elf saw that the hobbit still had hold of his stuffed dog.

"Frodo."

The hobbit looked at him, tear stains running down his soft cheeks though no sounds could be heard. Legolas' heart melted at the scene in front of him. Frodo looked so frightened. However, he had to go. The twins were waiting him.

"Frodo, I have to leave you here because I must return to help the twins. I promise, I will come back to get you as soon as I can."

Frodo's face went paler. He nodded as a sign of understanding and hugged the dog more tightly to his chest.

Legolas kissed his forehead tenderly and climbed down the tree, leaving the child with the stuffed animal alone in the middle of night, forest and enemy.

* * *

A tall man in a dark cloak stopped when his ears caught a strange sound from the distance. He was on the way to Imladris where he could rest his tired soul for some time before he went on his way to the north to meet his friends. With curiosity and caution, he pulled his blade from its sheath and walked to the source of the sound carefully. The nearer he went, the more certain he was that it was a fight in this forest.

His dark eyebrows frowned. This land was deserted. No one dwelt here, only the wild animals and some stray orcs. His eyes flared as he walked closer to the voice. The orcs were there, encircling three elves in the ring. It was obvious that the elves were great warriors because they fought the orcs bravely, sending those foul creatures to their dooms, one by one, around their feet.

The moon shyly came out from behind the clouds and shone light on the battlefield. The man's heart beat faster when he saw the elves were the sons of Elrond and the Prince of Mirkwood.

He beheaded the orcs nearby and went to parry with the elves immediately.

* * *

Meanwhile, Elladan had slain the orcs, but he couldn't help thinking why and how they had come there. It was very clear that this was an orc army, not stray orcs as they should be. He and his brother had traveled this land many times and never once had seen the evil creatures come out from their cave in such numbers. It was so strange.

Then someone came to join them killing the orcs. Elladan gaped a little when his eyes settled on the stranger.

"Estel, I didn't expect to see you here," Elladan said as he killed the orcs on his right.

"Yes. Tell me, how are you here?" Elrohir joined the chatting but didn't stop his task at hand for a minute.

Both twins were relieved to have their brother there. Aragorn was a great warrior, as they were. He had passed many battles as well as them and might have been one of the best healers too, though he was still far below their father, Lord Elrond.

"I was on the way from Rohan to Rivendell when I found you trapped here. As usual, you find the most unwanted company," Aragorn said.

"Say as you want. But note in your mind that Arwen will pay you back for insulting her beloved brothers," Elladan retorted back, chuckling at his imagination what things his dearest sister would say to punish her fianc?é.

Aragorn only snickered with that threat. He looked at the elf prince, who said nothing and seemed as if his mind was on another subject instead of slaying orcs.

* * *

Frodo held the dog to his chest. He didn't know how long Legolas had left him in the tree that was so kind to him. It tried to comfort him. But only a little could it help for he was so afraid. What if Legolas didn't come back? What if he got hurt? What if he died like his parents? What if…? Those thought made the hobbit shudder more. New tears gathered behind his long eyelashes. He cuddled closer to the tree and listened to its soothing sound silently.

Suddenly the tree stopped its mumbled song. Frodo, stunned with the sudden change, didn't dare to breathe out.

_/Child, a strange creature is climbing on me. You must go now./ _the tree whispered.

Frodo's heart fell onto his feet. He trembled with fear.

"But how?" he asked, not knowing what to do in this situation. He had never climbed such a tall tree--nothing like this big one. Moreover, everyone knew that if you wanted to get down a tree, you must climb down. How could he escape when the only way to run was blocked by someone who wasn't his friend?

_/Climb on my branch to another tree./_ the tree said.

_*What?*_ He screamed in his head and looked at the branch that was his only way to flee. The end of the said branch was touching another tree's limb. But it was so thin that the hobbit was afraid he would fall to the ground if he tried to creep along it.

"But…"

_/No but, you must go. Whatever that thing is, it isn't a good one. Hurry!/_

Frodo hesitated briefly. He gazed down at the trunk and saw a pair of yellow eyes staring back. The strange creature was climbing up so fast that it was only a few feet below him now.

The hobbit threw the dog in his hand down, aiming at its head, but it dodged the stuffed animal. The yellow eyes narrowed and glared back at Frodo with more malice.

"Preciouuuuusssss. We arree commiiingg."

Although Frodo was only a child, he could tell that it was evil. He shuddered and started to crawl on the thin branch. He went slowly, swaying a little up and down every time he put his weight on it. He tried hard not to look below and forced himself to go on. His hand almost touched another tree's branch when something caught his ankle and pulled him back.

Frodo turned his head to look at the yellow-eyed thing. He saw its sharp teeth, glinting in the pale moonlight.

"LEGOLAS!" Frodo screamed before a filthy and stinky hand covered his mouth.  


  


To be Continued...


	12. Badly Injured

Hey, everyone. How are you? 

It was the first time I got many reviews. Thanks you all who waste a 2-3 minute to write the comment. I'm very happy to know your idea about this fic though many threatened to kill me for delaying. ^_^;;;

**Thanks:**

HaloGatomon(aka Halo Son): I didn't know before that the readers can't review while the authors log in. Stupid FF.net. I would log out immediately after all done this time.

Robin Gurl: LOL, I'm still alive as you see though may die but voodoo or other curses if not updating soon.

buff200020002002: ^^ I'm trying to work this story out.

Erinamation-limited2-nothing: ^______^

Tmmeow: You don't have to wait anymore darling, the next one you want is here.

Mitsuko: Thanks for the hairbrush. I like it so much because little Frodo loves to keep his small fingers in my hair and makes it terribly tangle.

Liena: Okay, I'm waking up to do more chapters. No need to bank the pan in front of my house. Thank you. ^_^

tidus2529: Even I wonder what will become of Frodo when he grows up. Sure thing, the lasses in Shire must be melting before his eyes. ^.~

--The_Littlest _Faire--: I don't mean to make anyone die or at least I don't mean it. But…mmm…you will see.

Serena Cherry: Welcome to my story. Hope you will keep following this story.

Kattis_black@hotmail.com: ^^ I will try to update the next chapter as soon as I can.

LOTR and H.P fan: Looks like 'MORE' is the enchanting the authors will have from their readers. However, I never bored to hear it because it means you like it. Hehe….

Sagesumi: Sorryyyyyyy. I didn't meant to take this chapter long time. And well, thank you for understanding. I was busying myself with stuffs in real life.

ViNguyen: mmm…everyone seems to love hugging Frodo as well as me. My friends said that they were envied the elves for have Frodo with them.

LilPup: Yep, Aragorn is here after he was ignored so long. Hehehe….poor Aragorn. If anyone wanted a brood Aragorn, I would love to send him to you because I can't take his brooding on me anymore. _

Jaimi: Thanks for your kindness. I never imagined that it will have any people in Nindaiwe like this story because of the last terrible two comments that were given to me. Your review was a light in my heart.

shana (fairy18@msn.com): Sorry for hanging this story in the midway of a serious situation.

Salysha: I had sent you a mail before but I want to thank you again anyway. Not much people who care to write much in review.

**Disclaimer** : See at chapter 1

*...* for thought.  
'...' for some saying but not out loud or the sentence in the past. 

**Chapter 12 **

Frodo looked at Gollum, frightened. His yellow eyes and bare sharp teeth were glittering in the soft moonlight and that made him shuddered more. The smell of earth and filth filled his nostrils. The child struggled from its grasp. His small fist hit at its face. The queer creature was taken aback a little. Its eyes flared with rage and it struck back on his cheeks. 

The impact was hard. Frodo felt like he saw black and white in his head for a moment. His ivory cheek turned to red and it felt hot as if on fire. The hobbit shook his head to dispel his dizziness away. He panicked more when he tasted a copper in his mouth as the blood dripped down his chin. 

Gollum caught Frodo's chin with his hand and forced the periannath to look at it. 

"Stop fighting uss and be silent if you want to seee your parentsss again," Gollum hissed and threatened the scared boy. 

Frodo nodded. Tears welled behind his eyes. He wanted to scream at the monster that he couldn't see his papa and mama because they had already died but he bit his tongue back because it would not help anything. 

Moreover, he was afraid to get hurt again if he didn't obey its demand. 

Gollum grabbed the hobbit's body with one arm and used another limb to climb down the tree slowly. 

Although Frodo disgusted this creature, he feared falling down the tree. He slipped his hands around its sticky and filthy smelly neck tentatively. 

The tree mumbled a soothing word and apologized for its inability to help. Frodo vaguely caught some words. His mind swam around his Uncle Bilbo, Gandalf, Elrond, Glorfindel and the twins; afraid that he wouldn't see them again. Most of all people he thought of was Legolas, the elf Prince of Mirkwood. Even though he had known Legolas such a short time, his attachment to him was great. He loved the elf as his father, brother, relative, friends, guardian; well, it didn't matter what kind of love he had for Legolas. The only thing he realised was he loved the elf and that was enough. 

_*Legolas, help me! Legolas!* _

* * *   
Nardil, Elladan's horse ran ahead of the troop of Rivendell as a guide. He was the horse that hurt less than the other two. After a healer tended to his injuries briefly and gave him some water, the horse was ready to bring the elves' force into the forest to rescue his master. 

Elrond rode his horse in silence, trying hard to not think of what was happening with his children. He never approved their hunting orcs but he hadn't any reason to stop them because they returned home safely every time. However, it was changing. He would do something to make sure that the twins stayed at home more than they did in the past. 

For an hour now they had ridden to the south. Elrond's heart was heavy, like it was made of iron. The old memory of Celebrian flashed into his brain. He never forgot it; his beloved lay on the bed. She looked paler than the white sheet that was surrounding her, closer to translucent than pale, looking more fragile than a glass doll. Many days she was on the edge of death. He could cure her physical pain but couldn't cure her mental injuries. 

_*What if this were to become of them? What if I fail to help them?* _

Bitter thoughts ran into his mind and his heart hurt as if someone slit it with a knife. 

Not only his sons but Frodo Baggins and Legolas Greenleaf he was worried for also. Frodo was too young to die. He should have live long and happily. As for Legolas, if anything happened to the Prince, the situation between him and Thranduil would be worse than it had already been. 

All tension was over thrown at him. 

Every minute he heard the horses' gallop and his heart thudded painfully in his own chest. 

* * * 

Meanwhile, Legolas was running back to where he had left Frodo. Many things came to his mind: First, he chided himself for leaving the kid alone. Second, he imagined what was happening with Frodo and the only scene he saw was the orcs harming the boy with their weapons; the hobbit cried out with hurt and at last he laid on the pool of his own blood with tears streaked down his cheeks. 

That image frightened Legolas so much; he ran faster and faster. His hand clutched his sword tightly; he would slay any orcs who dared to block his way. 

_*Eru, save him please. Don't let him get hurt or die.*_ He prayed while he ran on the last yard. 

Legolas' heart stopped for a moment and then beat again faster with the sight in front of his eyes. Frodo was there, under the tree. He was in the hands of a queer creature which had gold eyes and dirty jagged teeth. It turned to see him, alarmed when it heard his coming. 

Frodo tried to struggle from Gollum's grasp and ran to Legolas but the ring lust was faster. He clutched the hobbit's arm tightly with one hand and another one clasped the fragile neck. Gollum pulled Frodo to stand in front of him; using the kid as a shield if Legolas wanted to harm him, which was the certain thing the elf wanted to do. 

Legolas was stunned for a moment, aware that if he darted toward this beast, it would kill the young hobbit instantly. He tried to calm down; screaming in his mind that his careless action would end Frodo's life. However, it was hard to control his rage inside. Legolas gritted his teeth as he eyed Frodo's face. The boy's teary eyes looked at him pleadingly. His blue orbs showed many emotions inside; fear, hurt and hope. Legolas gazed down on Frodo's cheeks and winced because the halfling's left cheek was obviously red and a corner of his mouth was broken; the blood still dripped from the wound to his chin and on the top of his cloth. 

"Stop where you are, elfff," Gollum said while he stepped back; dragged Frodo to go with him. His sharp finger nails scratched lightly on the boy's pale throat. The red liquid of life appeared and ran from the wounds and dripped on his pale green shirt; telling Legolas what he would do to Frodo if the elf didn't listen to him. 

"What do you want from him? He is merely but a child," Legolas said, his brain was calculating the way to rescue his younger friend from this evil. 

"Yesss, a child. But he isss a Bagginsss. Bagginss iss bad. Bagginss stole our preciousss," Gollum's nail imbedded deeper in Frodo's neck as he stepped back further. 

"What's your precious?" Legolas asked, trying to make Gollum's attention focus on their talking as he stepped to his left. He knew this queer creature would step to its left too, where there was a rather big stone on the ground. 

Like Legolas surmised, Gollum stepped back the way he wanted. Only a step and then he would hit the rock. 

"It'sss a…aahhh . . . " Gollum hadn't time to finish his sentences. His legs hit the stone hard. He released Frodo immediately to catch onto the nearby tree. However, he still fell to the earth anyway on his backside while Frodo too fell to the ground but on his front side before Gollum's body. 

Legolas didn't let this gold time waste. He pulled his small dagger from his tunic and threw it at Gollum with accuracy. 

"Aggrrrhhh!" Gollum cried as the dagger stabbed into his right shoulder. The elven blade hurt him too much and he felt like his body was burning. He pulled the small blade out and hurled it away disgustingly. His eyes gazed at the Baggins but he couldn't get the boy back as his hostage because Legolas was running to the child. He gritted his teeth and flew away from the elf's rage, vowing to himself : _*We will come back again, Bagginsss* _

Legolas hurried to Frodo's side and helped him sit up from his prone state. 

"Legolas!" The hobbit cried and threw himself into the elf's arms. 

The Prince of Mirkwood embraced the boy for a moment before pushing Frodo out so he could see his injuries. He looked at the wounds on his throat first and felt relieved when he saw Gollum's nail didn't make the fatal cut on the artery, though it was still bleeding. He tore his own sleeve off and ripped it into a long strip before wrapping it around Frodo's neck. 

Legolas was so preoccupied with his young friend that he didn't notice a group of orcs behind him. 

"Whoop…" An arrow pierced Legolas' back, then another one. 

The blond haired elf fell forward, trying to cover Frodo with his own body. From the corner of his eyes, he saw at least ten orcs came toward him, each aiming their arrows at his back. Frodo cried silently under him. Legolas squeezed the boy's hand one last time. 

_*I hope they won't see Frodo.*_ was his only wish before unconsciousness took him. 

* * * 

Aragorn gazed around him, trying to track Legolas with his ranger eyes. Even though he always thought he was the fast one when it came to running, he still couldn't outrun the elf and now the elf Prince wasn't anywhere to be seen. This was one of many times that he really wished he was an elf, not a man. 

His foster family was soooo good to him. Elrond was very generous; a good teacher and ready to protect him from harm and take care of his wounds himself. Elladan and Elrohir were the best brothers, who taught him many things from small such as their many pranks to great think, for an example, how to survive in the wild. For Arwen, she was the best member of this family. She was the first and only person who could warm his heart. The other elf lords in Rivendell were nice to him too. However, their niceness and kindness couldn't delete the suffering he had experienced from the teasing he got from the other children in Imladris. 

_*This is not the time for you to brood over the thing you can't be, Aragorn.*_ The man shook his head and concentrated on finding the prince of Mirkwood. 

Elf's feet were light and so was Legolas'. The grass told him a little where he went. Moreover, it wasn't only Legolas' footprints but orcs' also and that made his tracking more difficult. 

Aragorn chose to follow the lightest footprints. He ran past many trees, deeper into the forest for about half an hour and then he saw a group of orcs at a small open area. They had their bows and arrows in their hands, aiming at something on the ground while their feet moved closer to it. From the gap of their legs, Aragorn could see blond hair on the grass. No need to analyze any more, Legolas was lying there and must be hurt because if not, he would spring to his feet and fight the orcs right now. 

"Yah!!" He shouted and sped to the evil servants. 

The orcs startled when they saw him and rushed forward. The group was broken up in every direction before they attacked the newcomer. 

Aragorn cast his sword to his left as an orc dashed to him. His eyes caught on an orc that seemed to be the oldest and the head of this group because he was the one who stood outside the ring and ordered the others with 'No, you fool! Stab him at his right!' or 'Left, stupid!' Aragorn managed to knock or slay the orcs before him easily before he reached the leader. With one blow, the head orc crumpled to the floor as his head rolled on the ground and stopped at his follower's foot. The rest of the orcs that were still alive moved back with fear and then fled away to their hole at the Misty Mountains. 

With a heavy sigh, Aragorn bent down and wiped the foul orcs' blood that covered his blade on the grass. He sheathed his sword and turned his attention to Legolas for the first time since the battle between him and the orcs began. He had just noticed that the elf prince was lying on the earth with two arrows embedded in his back. 

The ranger rushed to him and turned Legolas to his side and that was the first time he saw a pair of big blue orbs staring at him fearfully. Though this little one was certainly in elf clothes, Aragorn could tell from his experience of guarding the Shire many years that this was a child hobbit. He had black hair and the fairest face of all the halflings he had ever seen, even though one cheek was swollen and his mouth was broken. 

The man understood now that his must be the one who had screamed 'Legolas' less than an hour ago, making the elf rush to this area, get hurt and lay near death. 

"Hello," Aragorn smiled at the little hobbit before him, hoping that the boy would calm a bit. 

Frodo didn't reply to that greeting. He eyed the strong and scruffy man suspiciously. His tiny arms snaked around Legolas' neck and held the blond head close to his chest. If this man wanted to hurt Legolas, he must pass him first. 

"Who are you?" 

"Don't fear, child. My name is Aragorn. I'm Legolas' friend," Aragorn was relieved to see the boy's tension and fear subside. 

"I'm Frodo Baggins," Frodo said, his eyes gazing at the arrows in the elf's back. Elrohir had told him that he had shot many orcs with his arrows. The orcs would fall on the ground, groaning 'arrrrhhh…' and then die. Would Legolas… 

Aragorn saw that fear from the boy's eyes too. 

"Baggins? How do you relate to Bilbo?" He tried to make some distraction from Legolas and from the corpses that were not far from them. The last thing he wanted right now was to scare Frodo furthermore. Beside, such a terrible scene as this would surely lead to many nightmares for any child in Middle Earth. 

"He is my uncle." 

Aragorn nodded in acknowledgement. His mind was worried about Legolas. The prince's pulse was too weak for his approval. He must get these arrows out and heal the elf as quickly as he could. The problem was that he needed the herbs and some clean strips of cloth in his pack, which he had thrown somewhere near the river when he jumped into the battle. It might be very risky to go back but he had no choice. 

"Close your eyes, little one, please," he said 

Frodo obeyed docilely.

The man draped Legolas over his shoulder and held on to his legs tightly. He carried the hobbit with another arm and set off; praying to Illuvatar that they wouldn't meet any orcs on the way back. 

* * * 

Frodo didn't know how much time had passed since he closed his eyes. They traveled silently due to the fact that Aragorn didn't want any attention from orcs that might have strayed around the area, and Frodo was too exhausted to talk. His tiny arms circled the ranger's neck for support and one of his tiny hands clutched the fabric of Legolas' clothes, who was on the other side of Aragorn's shoulder. At least, his elf friend was here and that made him feel a little better. 

The halfling felt himself moved up and down with every step of Aragorn, who was walking so fast. Tiredness began to take its toll on him. The jostling was like the comforting and swaying arms of his mother. The hard shoulder blade became softer like a pillow on his bed, and the crying of cicadas and others insects in the forest became a lullaby for him. 

Soon Frodo's head was on Aragorn's shoulder. 

"Estel!" 

Frodo opened his eyes immediately. His sleepiness disappeared immediately when he heard a familiar voice. Before him were Elladan and Elrohir, who were running toward them. Their tunics were dirty with blood like Legolas' and Aragorn's. 

" 'rohir! 'ladan!" Frodo cried. He released Aragorn's neck and opened his arms to the elf. 

Elladan was faster than his brother and came to Frodo first. He scooped the boy into his arms and looked down at his bruised face and cut throat with worry for his wound and rage toward the one who did such a savage thing to a five-year-old boy. Elladan's eyes went darker when he saw what had befallen Legolas. The orcs' arrows that were still stuck in his friend's back told him the story better than anything. He counted the orcs Elrohir and he had slain today and who had now fled back to their hole after they lost many. After Frodo and his uncle left Rivendell, he and his brother would make sure that the orcs got their lesson to dare not attack his kindred again. 

" 'rohir?" 

Frodo's voice pulled Elladan back to earth. 

"Yes?" 

"Will Legolas be all right?" Frodo asked. 

Elladan eyes met his twin's, who was now relieving Aragorn's burden from him. It didn't show any hope at all. But what could he do? Would he tell Frodo that Legolas might die? He couldn't. The boy would burst into tears if he told him that. Besides, he still had some hope for Legolas but they must hurry. 

"We will try our best, little one," Elladan soothed the little hobbit. "Can you tell me what happened after Legolas took you from us?" 

Frodo nodded and began his story. "After Legolas carried me and ran….." 

The others listened to the melodic voice of Frodo all the way back with heavy weights in their heart. 

* * * 

Frodo's throat began to dry when his story was finished and they neared their encampment. Elrohir stopped when he smelled blood strongly in the air. 

"Estel, go get your pack and ours. We will wait for you in the north," Elladan said. 

Aragorn only nodded curtly and disappeared between the trees. No reasonable adult wanted any child to see such an evil scene of blood and corpses. 

"Estel?" Frodo looked at Elladan confusingly. "He said his name is Aragorn," 

"It's another name of his, dear one," Elrohir explained. 

They walked as fast as they could along the river for a few minutes until they found a place. Elrohir laid Legolas on his stomach while Elladan deposited Frodo as well and went into the forest to gather some wood to make a fire. 

Frodo sat on the ground and watched Elladan tear Legolas' shirt to examine the wound. Legolas' pale skin now was red because of the blood that trickled from his injuries. Frodo averted his eyes from the unconscious elf; unable to bear seeing him anymore. The blond haired elf in this state reminded him of his parents. The memory that the hobbit tried so hard to forget and almost succeeded at sprang out again. The pale faces and blank eyes of his father and mother after the Brandybucks got them from the bottom of the river were like Legolas' wan face. 

The little halfling shuddered with fear. He heard someone scream 'DIE' again and again in his mind. Though Elrohir said Legolas would be all right, Frodo couldn't make himself believe the elf entirely. 

From the corner of his eyes, Frodo saw Elrohir come back. The bundle of wood was loaded in his arms. The elf set it on the ground and began to make a fire. Soon the orange flame shone at the same time they heard some voice from the forest. The twins stood up immediately, each pulling their swords out, ready to attack any orcs that would come. However, it was Aragorn; his hands and arms were full of their bags. The brothers sighed and sheathed their blades quickly before hurrying to unload some of the packs from their foster brother. 

The boy looked at their ministrations curiously and moved near the fire. A pot was pulled out from their pack while Aragorn picked a sharp knife, a strip of cloth and a wooden box from his bag out. 

Before too long, the water was boiling in a pot. Aragorn pulled some leaves from his pack, crushing them before he put them in the pot, followed by his knife. The fragrance of it made Frodo's heart lighter. 

"What's the leaf?" the hobbit asked the ranger as he looked in the pot. The leaf was dancing in the boiling water with a strong rhythm. 

"It's Athelas or Kingsfoil. It has powerful healing qualities," Elrohir replied and lifted the hobbit to sit in his lap. 

Opposite them, Elladan laid a blanket on the ground while Aragorn carried Legolas from where Elrohir had left him. The ranger laid the injured elf on the blanket carefully. Within the light of the fire, the orcs' arrows looked even fouler than before. 

"Frodo, turn to me," Elrohir said and turned the hobbit slowly until Frodo's face was buried in his chest and his back was to Legolas' prone form. 

"Why?" the hobbit asked as he looked up to see the elf. 

"It's not suitable for you to see, young one." Elrohir hugged the hobbit. One of his hands held Frodo's face still, so the boy didn't have any chance to see what Elladan and Aragorn were doing to Legolas. 

Frodo listened to the calm beating of Elrohir's chest as well as tried to catch the sound behind him. He heard many sounds but he couldn't imagine what they were doing to Legolas. 

"No…" It was Elladan's voice. 

Frodo cocked his ears to hear; his heart thudding painfully in his chest. _*What did he mean 'no'?* _

"What is it?" Elrohir asked above his head. 

"Legolas…" Frodo had never heard his voice hoarse like this. "He's . . . he's gone."  


To be continued....


	13. Between Life and Death

TITLE: Innocent  
AUTHOR: Elendriel elendriel_g@yahoo.com  
RATING: PG  
PAIRING: Frodo / Legolas (but this is non-slash fic)  
WARNING: This part is kinda heartbreaking. You may need to look for a handkerchief or a box of tissue before start reading.  
DISCLAIMER: All characters are Tolkien's, not mine. I just only borrow them. ^^  
SUMMARY: After Frodo's parents death. Bilbo and Gandalf bring the hobbit to Rivendell.  
NOTES 1: This fic is kind of a **Little AU**. In this story, Frodo is about 4-5 years old now and Bilbo adopted him immediately after the tragedy.  
NOTES 2: My mother language isn't English. So be patience with my grammar though I had checked my grammar in this fic many times before post it.  
NOTES 3: Thanks Izzy to beta chapter 1 for me, Shane for betaing chapter 6 and Lily Baggins who beta chapter 8 and further chapters.

*…* for thinking

~*~

**Innocent  
Chapter 13  
By Elendriel**  


"…He…he's gone…"

Frodo was stunned for a second. _*What did he mean Legolas is gone? No! NO! It can't be!*_

The hobbit turned back immediately.

As soon as his nose was free from Elrohir's chest, he almost suffocated from the rich smell of blood that filled his nostrils. For a moment Frodo felt sick -though the twins and the man's clothes were marred with blood, they didn't smell as thick as this one- but it disappeared as soon as it came when he saw Legolas laid on the blanket across the fire. He was lying on his back, his face paler than paper. His upper body was undressed, revealing the flawless chest that was so still; no sign of the heart beating inside.

Elladan and Aragorn were kneeling. Both of them were quiet; desperation, hopeless and mournful, shone in their expressions clearly.

"He….he d…died?" Frodo whispered very lightly so that the elves and the man almost couldn't hear. The tears broke down as he got up from Elrohir's lap and staggered toward the elf with wobbling legs. Each step seemed like he was walking on jelly and the surroundings were twirling a bit before his eyes. He sank with a soft thud near Legolas' head. He eyed the orcs' foul arrows that had been removed out and laid on the grass, soaked with blood on their jags, disgusting. They had taken away the one he loved.

Legolas was dead. He would never see his elf again?

_*NO! NO! NOT AGAIN!*_

"No, Legolas! Wake up! Don't leave me!" Frodo screamed and shook the elf's shoulder hard. His tears dropped on Legolas' pale bosom.

Elladan pulled Frodo back from Legolas gently but firmly also.

"We are very regretful, too. His wounds were more serious than we had estimated. We can't help him anymore," Elladan said, looking at the boy worriedly. All the elves in Rivendell knew well about the great attachment between Frodo and Legolas. He couldn't predict what would happen after this when considering how much Frodo had endured after his parents died (Bilbo had told him).

Frodo shook himself out of Elladan's grasp. He lay upside-down, his head resting on Legolas's shoulder, one hand laid upon his brows while another clutched the elf's hair. He watched his bigger friend briefly before closing his teary eyes wearily. He had lost his parents and it hurt him so much. Each morning, he couldn't help but tell himself that his mum would never come to wake him up and give him a morning kiss and his father would never take him outside and teach him anything anymore. No chance for him to say that he loved them, or hug them or kiss them.

He didn't want anyone he loved to die anymore.

NO! NO!

He would not give up. He would not let the elf die.

NEVER!

His mind screamed and Frodo felt himself drown in the bottomless of darkness little by little.

* * *

This place was so dark. Legolas didn't remember how on Middle-earth he was here. He turned around, trying to find the way to get out. At one place, he saw a little pale light so he decided to go on that way. The dim light was brighter with every step he took and suddenly he found himself in a wood. It looked so familiar, though he couldn't point out where he was. The sun shone her warm light through the leaves of the trees and caught on his blond hair; many squirrels ran along the branches of the trees that were above his head and the birds flew in the sky, finding their food. A very peaceful forest it was indeed. However, Legolas felt uneasy as if something in this place was not right. He went deeper and caught a voice of female singing the lullaby which he'd once heard from his mother so often when he was a young boy.

He followed the melodic voice because anyone who was singing this song might tell him what this place was. Before too long, the lines of the trees ended and the field of daffodils began until he saw nothing, save only the daffodils. A female elf in a white dress sat there with her back to him. Her straight golden hair was glistening in the sun, adorned with a daffodil garland.

"Hello" Legolas said as he went near.

She turned back slowly and Legolas gasped when he saw her face clearly.

Mother!

The Lady was his long dead mother. She tilted her head a little as if trying to recall who he was.

Then she smiled and offered her hand to him.

"Legolas."

Legolas felt like tears were trickling behind his eyes, threatening to fall out. He wanted to say something to her but his throat was stricken and no single word could come out. His mother was as beautiful as she used to be. He watched all the details of her face, trying to find any changes in her while his hand reached hers slowly. Just only a second before his hand touched her ivory palm, he halted. This lady wasn't the mother he knew. Although she was smiling, the smile didn't touch her eyes. Behind the happy face was cold and distance.

This wasn't mother! She wasn't!

Legolas stepped back. His minds screamed in two parts. One said _*Are you crazy?! This is the way you behave with your mother?!*_ while another one screamed at him that _*She isn't your mother. She would never look at you like this. Never!*_

"What's wrong, Legolas? Don't you remember me?" she asked.

His hand reached the short sword that hung on the belt around his waist. He clutched its hilt tightly though he didn't pull it out for he was not sure what to do.

"You are not my mother," Legolas said.

Surprise flashed her eyes briefly before she stood up.

Suddenly, the warmth of the sun disappeared as if someone tore the background surrounding him out and revealed the real world that was cold under the pale moonlight. The trees around him shook their branches and their green leafs began to brown before falling to the earth. The field of daffodils vanished and was replaced by the grass. All things turned from the world of life to the world of death.

The son of Thranduil glanced around him with alarm. _*What's happening?*_ he thought. When he turned to see the one who was disguised to be his mother, he saw a blond-haired man in white and black clothes standing there instead. His eyes were black like coal. Just for one moment as Legolas looked into those eyes, he felt like something gripped him in its icy hands.

"You are a brilliant elf, Prince Legolas of Mirkwood," he said.

"Who are you? Why did you try to fool me?" Legolas asked, angered at the man who dared to taint his beloved mother by being her. No one could do that. He would never allow anyone to touch her without respect.

"I'm sorry for my unthinkable joking. Your mother always told me how bright you are so I wanted to test you and you passed my test."

Legolas' heart lifted up a bit when he heard the mystery man mention his mother. But his suspicion of the man didn't vanish easily. "How can you know my mother? I've never seen you in Mirkwood and she passed away a long time ago."

His mouth shaped into a small grin and the coldness in his eyes seemed to subside a little as well.

"Oh! Where's my manner? I'm sorry to not introduce myself at first. I'm a servant in the hall of Mandos. That's why I know you. I come here to welcome you to our place."

Legolas trembled. He looked down to the ground. "I'm dead?"

Suddenly he remembered that he had felt two arrows pierce into his flesh from behind as he tried to protect Frodo with his body. How was the boy? Would he be all right? Would the orcs look after him?

He was so much occupied with his thought that he jumped when he heard the Maia's voice.

"Not really. You are in the middle of life and death. However, you are at the brim of death now. That's why I came to welcome you," the Mandos servant said with cold smile.

"Come with me, Prince Legolas. The others are waiting to see you, especially your mother," the servant of Mandos said.

Many things rushed into his mind. He wanted to see his mother again so much but not this way. He knew his mother would never appreciate his death. He thought about his father and how much he would grieve if he knew his son was dead. Legolas saw that the dislike between Mirkwood and Rivendell would heat up on his account. And he could foresee that Frodo would cry so hard.

However, it wasn't only his imagination. His elven ears caught the very light sound of a crying child from the distance.

_*Where is that crying coming from?*_

Legolas raised his head up. He caught the man's eyes briefly, wondering to see the astonishment and trouble in those eyes. He realised the servant of Mandos was watching something behind his back. Therefore the elf turned around to see what it was.

He blinked his eyes when he saw the familiar figure running toward him. It was Frodo. The hobbit was crying hard that his eyes were puffy red; his cheek was so pale under the moonlight and stained with tears.

"Legolas!!!" Frodo cried as he ran toward him.

Then suddenly he fell down on his rump as if he was running into a nowhere-to-be-seen wall which the Maia had set immediately after he saw Frodo. For it wasn't good for anyone who wasn't dead or nearly dead to set his foot in the middle of death and life.

"Frodo!" Legolas ran to give his aid to the little boy but he too collided into the invisible wall as well.

Frodo struggled to get on his feet and tried to reach him again, but it was useless because there was an invisible wall between the two.

"Legolas, don't go! Don't leave me like father and mother, please…don't…" the hobbit said. He leaned against the wall as he sobbed more.

"How can he be here? He's only of mortal folk," Legolas asked the Maia, though his eyes fixed on Frodo, wanting badly to enfold the child in his arms, but he couldn't. So he leaned closer to the barrier and pressed a kiss on it where Frodo's forehead touched the invisible wall, hoping that the boy could feel his love via the unseen wall.

"It might be his fairy blood that leads him here. I've had a few elven healers come here to retrieve their patients back to life. Actually, only two elven healers have come here in many thousand years because coming down to this place uses a lot of power and it may cost the healer's own life. This little one loves you so much to come here though, I think, even he doesn't know how it happened. Tell him to go back. If he stays here too long, he will die."

Legolas was frightened at the Maia's words. He couldn't let this innocent boy die because of him. Frodo should have had a good long life with his family and friends.

"Frodo," the elf called the hobbit gently.

The boy lifted his head up slowly; tears still flew out of his eyes.

"Listen to me, dear one. I'm SO sorry but I can't go back with you. I'm dead now. Please go back to your friends and your family."

"No, I will go back with you or never go back at all!" Frodo cried out and began pounding his little fists at the wall, trying desperately to break it. His soft and tender skin wasn't used to such a violent thing like this. It started to crack and red liquid streaked out from the wound, mingled with tears to strain the wall.

Legolas saw the tear-stained angelic face before him contorted with pain but never once did Frodo stop what he was doing.

"Stop Frodo! Please, don't do that. Stop…" The elf's pleading was ignored. Frodo continued to punch at the invisible wall though his face was getting paler and he looked like he was going to collapse in a minute.

Legolas turned to see the servant of Mandos with tears in his eyes.

"Please, do something! Send him back to his world, Please. I'm beseeching you!" Legolas begged the Maia desperately.

"I can't. I don't have the power to do what you asked. Tell the boy to give up and go back for he is doing a useless thing because he can't break the barrier I had made."

However, as he said that, the wall began to crack and started to crumble down, making a huge hole in it.

The Maia looked at it startled and surprised. He had worked, well, too long to bother to remember when it had started; this was the first time the fence had ever cracked.

Meanwhile Frodo smiled happily even though the cuts on his hands were paining him greatly. He climbed passed the hole and flew into Legolas' waiting arms. As he crossed the border, the hobbit began to choke. He tried to catch his breath but could inhale no air into his lung. Frodo started to spasm. His fingernails scratched at Legolas' arms frantically.

The young prince of Mirkwood was panicked by Frodo's reaction. He had no idea what happened and how to help the boy. So he held onto Frodo tightly and stroked his back in a soothing manner while the halfling writhing in his arms.

The servant of Mandos saw the situation before him all the time. He hurried to the two and quickly shoved them through the hole. Legolas had only a little time to change their position to not crush the boy. He stumbled down on his back with Frodo lying on top of him. The elf noted that Frodo's spasm ceased immediately and the little boy panted heavily, trying to get the cool air into his lungs again.

"Only people who are nearly dead can pass into this wall but can't pass out. This little one can't get in unless he dies," the Maia said with a heaviness in his heart, realized now that Frodo wouldn't go back unless Legolas went with him. However, if he let the prince go, it would mean breaking the rules. Yet he could foretell that anyone who could break the barrier between two worlds wasn't a simple person. This little one's fate was indeed grander than his little appearance showed to the others' eyes. Thus, he hadn't a heart to let Frodo die here.

"For his pure intention and his great love for you that can destroy this border, and the fact that you aren't completely dead, I will let you go back to the living world," the Mandos servant said after he considered briefly.

"Thank you very much," Legolas said and stood up, holding Frodo gently in his arms.

The Maia gave him a small smile and pointed at the little light far away.

"Walk back to that light and hurry. Though I let you go, it doesn't mean that you will return to the living easily. You will meet many threads on the way. The faster you go, the better it will be for you two. This little one lost a lot of power when he tried to help you. He is at the brink of death now. Farewell." the Maia said and used his power to repair the damaged wall while Legolas held onto Frodo tighter and ran back to the direction the servant of Mandos had told.

* * *

The twins and Aragorn were so glad when they noticed that Legolas' heart began to beat, though very lightly, after Frodo had laid his head on the elf's shoulder a moment ago. However, they began to worry for the boy's condition instead because Frodo was getting paler. Aragorn checked the hobbit quickly, tried to detect any fatal damage that he might have overlooked in the first place but found nothing, except that Frodo's heartbeat had slowed down until he could feel nothing at all. The man lifted Frodo's head off Legolas' shoulder quickly, thinking to lay the hobbit's head on the ground so that he could look at the younger boy more easily. However, he changed his mind immediately when he noticed that Frodo's condition was getting worse. So he laid the boy's head back on Legolas' shoulder again.

"Elladan, pump his heart. Frodo has stopped breathing," Aragorn said. He pinched the hobbit's nose with his thumb and forefinger as he bent down to puff air into Frodo's lungs. At the same time, Elladan pumped his heart very carefully because Frodo was very small, only a quarter of his own height and weighed barely more than a feather. If he pushed too hard, it would harm Frodo instead of help him.

Before too long, Frodo began to breathe again though his breathing and his heartbeat were too slow to the twins' and Aragorn's liking. At least the hobbit was still alive.

Suddenly, the sons of Elrond by blood and by heart heard the galloping of a herd of horses coming to their direction. Each drew their swords out, prepared to fight if need came.

In a minute, Elladan's chestnut horse came into view, followed by Elrond's horse with its owner on its back and many inhabitants of Rivendell.

"Ada!" the three cried and went to greet their father as he dismounted his horse.

Elrond nodded at his sons solemnly as his eyes caught on the two figures who were lying on the ground, bathed with the orange light of the flame. He listened to Aragorn's brief story while kneeling down and checking his two patients. From his experience as a healer, he knew that Legolas was on his way to Mandos which meant he might have the chance to pull him back.

What he didn't understand was how he could feel Frodo's presence in Legolas' mind. However, it wasn't the time to resolve the puzzle. The Lord of Rivendell gathered the healing power he possessed and placed his hands on Frodo's and Legolas' forehead, beside the hobbit's tiny hand. He leaned his back trustfully to Glorfindel's chest and started his journey into their minds.

**To be continued...**

**~*~**

**Author's note**: Sorry to make you all waiting four months for this chapter. All the time I was too-da**-busy. Yet I'm still busy until now, even Easter wasn't time for me to relax much. And bad news, my computer seems to love me no more. It keeps hanging up everyone in a while, let's say 20 minutes. That makes me mad and I need to fix it as soon as possible.

*sigh*

Forget about it. Thank you so much for your reviews. Each made me my day.

**Vana Burke **: For one who doesn't have any brother or sister like me, not mention about lacking of male friends when I was young; it's hard to imagining what would a boy do or like to do. Little Frodo that you just read was the closest image that I could think of for a brother I never had but would gladly to have one if he would cute like Frodo.

**Mitsuko** : I was feared of you chasing me around and decided to let Legolas alive but you didn't mention about Frodo dying. So I think it's okay to...er...you must wait to see the next.

**Lutheyl **: I didn't think about the problem with Gollum at first but I guess it will be hung up in the air like that. So you could just forget it. For Frodo's heritage of Fairy blood, it gives him some advantage, however, with a great cost that will change his life.

**HaloGatomon** : Alright Goll...er...I mean Halo-chan. ^_^; Leggy is saved. Now I think it's your time to worry about cutie Frodo. *ran away*

**Gia** : Yeah! It would be better to make Legolas get on his feet and run into the forest, find a beautiful elven princess, married and live happily ever after. But hmm...that sounds very fairy tale. I need blood and cry! mwhahahaha.......

**Jaimi** : Well, thanks a lot for good support, honey. I'm not angry about those reviews anymore. It's not worth to let those ruin my mood, right? Beside, not much people care about author's note. They just eager to read the story and so skip it, even me sometime do that too. *blushes*

**Elvin Flame** : If gollum was a dead meat, I'm sure wouldn't want to look at it a bit. urgh...*shudders*

**ViNguyen**: No! You can't cuddle little Frodo! He's mine...my precioussss....

**Serena Cherry** : oh...let your lawyer comes, honey. I'm thinking to study 'law' soon. Kidding. You should go to see the doctor. It's not good to faint, you know.

**Salysha** : Well, the tone in this story changed so much like you noted, from the smile and laughing between Frodo and his friends to the dark theme of battle, a bit frightening and death. 

I'm a girl who intend to forget everything that is unnecessary or seem to be unimportant and 'elf-friend' had counted into this group too. Thus 'elf friend' was completely unintentional use and I'm sure will oblivious about the meaning of 'elf-friend' if you didn't mention it. I want to thank you about this fact. So I couldn't use it wrongly in the other fics I intend to write.

If the last one should have labeled as "Warning: causes unbearable curiosity and pressuring of the author." This one should label as "Warning: Stop reading it when you have time and look at the other stories that would cause you smile instead of this one."

I really enjoyed make the story go on slowly with important details at suitable times. However, I must confess that sometimes I am annoying with myself when the story seems to be expanded more than it should be because it feels like I will never finish it. And that thought is frustrating.

Well, thanks very much for your great comment. I hope you would enjoy this story so far.

**tidus2529 **: What happens with Legolas, doesn't that bad like you would find tha answer by now.

**WildFire203 **: Being see Frodo pout everyday give me antibody from your pout, my dear. What's a periannath? 'Periannath' is the word that the Elves called the hobbit like the Men called them ' halfling'  


**LilPup** : I wasn't cliff-hanger. I was just so busy with stuffs. Besides, life is never fair. You can't choose what will happen to your life as well as you can't choose whom will be your parents or what would be your nationality. Well, just hope that the next chap will go out as soon as possible. Sorry to take a long time to update.

**JadeownerofCATBoy **: Your compliment was flattered me. ^.^ Really, you are not the first person who wants to see Frodo when he grows up. If I really did write more, it would take a long time to finish the entire story.

**sagesumi** : You surprised me with your almost right prediction. (I had wroted some part of this chapter before posted chapter 12) That meant my hint in the story hadn't been ignored at all.

**blackunicorn** : I don't know how could I do that either. I think I just wrote down along the plot I had planned though it would make the story more anxious.

**Erinamation-limited2-nothing** : I'm afraid this chapter still not be the rest that you would like to know.  
  
**Finafyr** : Well, you should have looked closely at the note above the story. It's a kinda of **AU** story. So everything could happen. However, don't be afraid about Legolas' life. Our elf is toughter than you expected. At least he still be alive...for god (I) know how long. hohohoho ^_^  
  
**Sky B.** : I didn't mean to make my story in the fashion of Legolas-dying-in-the-end. Sorry to make you feel uncomfortable with the ending of my last chapter. Thanks for reading though.

**liena** : *gives handkerchief*

**Serafina **: Ah...you have the same mind about 'Frodo suffered for ANOTHER death of his loved one' like you will see what I **didn't** make Legolas die. By the way, I like your name 'Serafina'. If I remember rightly, 'Seraphim' is one of angels. So I presumed your name came from it.


	14. Who is in the fog?

Note: I'm back and still alive, not die as you might have thought I am. Gah! You must blame my computer for all the problem it caused to me and affected to you. My friend and I tried to fix a problem together and some very Very VERY BIG mistake happened. We couldn't get into window XP and I really meant it. After talked seriously for a while, the conclusion we had was we MUST format my computer. So all information and programs I had went to la la land (or heaven if you would like to call). That's why it took me quite a while to get chapter 14 back for you. 

The next chapter would be posted in this month hopefully.

Thanks: 

Jaimi: I always think this fic is full of love and care between characters. It really makes me feel warm and think about old days that people are not cruel like this time (many people are still be good but not as much as it appeared in the past). 

Serafina : ah…I hope I didn't make you freak when you open your mailbox today such as 'Woh, she still Alive!'

Well, I would say that even I understand the writer's problem (by being one of them myself), I would go nagging many authors to get the next chapters of them. So don't worry about being selfish. ^^

Erinamation-limited2-nothing : I don't know what to say except I really glad that I could finally post this chapter out.

Elvin Flame : I hope you wouldn't get sore feet by skipping around. In case you got it, I guess you go boiling water and pour it into a tub with some cold water, then put your feet into the tub. It would make you feel better.

Hmsgirl: FF.net is really evil. First, they won't allow NC-17. And someday I couldn't see R story. Hmm…I just hope it wouldn't happen to you as well.

Vinguyen: Well, I wrote about Mandos and I really think it's a good place. As a Buddhist, I believe in incarnation. In my opinion, Mandos is kinda a place that you just sit and think about what you have done wrong in the past life. Thus you would learn and not do mistake again when you have a chance to get back into life. 

Gia: Well, I'm sure you get email from divinechild18@hotmail.com that you told me.

Mitsuko : Even if you didn't tell or chase me around, I would let them alive anyway. I don't have any intention to make them die in this fic. So don't worry. Whatever, which the subject you choose to chase me this time. I hope it would be coffee cake, my favouriteee sweeeeet….

Lin : sorry for that stupid spell 'PATIONTLY' that you said in your review. I guess it was because of my typing. Thanks for mentioned it to me. So I would fix it later, though I must confess I'm a VERY forgetful person.

Law? No, I'm not going to Law. I just made a joke last time. My major is Business. So I'm sure would earn money enough to get a good lawyer to fight in the court under title 'insane people fight over a fiction' Hahaha…..

Sagesumi: I would love to shout that 'Im Alive!' After a ton of works that my teachers threw on me last semester. Very evil of them to make a poor girl like me did so much of homework like that. *sob sob*

'DON'T EVER MAKE ME WAIT THAT LONG FOR A CHAPTER AGAIN!' ß Well, the only thing I can tell you is that chapter 15 shouldn't be too long after this part.

Midnight Star : Well, I got this chapter out finally. Hope Ra, Isis, Thot, Horus, and all Egyptian Gods and Goddesses would be with you. 

**Innocent**

**By Elendriel**

**Chapter 14**

It was so dark Elrond could see nothing. He dived deeper into the dark abyss of Legolas' mind until he saw the person he was looking for though he was not alone like he had expected because Legolas was carrying Frodo in one of his arms while another using his sword to fend the hands that tried to pull him under the black mud. Elrond didn't waste any minute to analyze; he emitted his power out and the hands vanished from Legolas' ankles immediately.

The elf prince looked up at the lord of Rivendell surprisingly and glad of his coming for he didn't think he could ward the hands off much longer. Beside, he was getting worried about Frodo who hadn't made any movement since they left the Maia.

Elrond strode toward the panting elf and tried to take his light burden but Frodo didn't allow that. His tiny arms sealed around Legolas' neck stubbornly though he was unconscious and didn't have much energy left for it was spent by coming to the land between life and death as well as destroying the Maia's Wall. Moreover, the little hobbit was in terrible danger because of the blood that was leaking out of his wounds because Legolas' mind had been occupied by his return to life and he'd forgotten to dress his charge's injuries.

The elf lord pulled his handkerchief and tore it to two pieces to wrap them around Frodo's tiny hands. From the corner of his eyes Elrond saw that the hands still were there in the distance, lurking in the dark, waiting the time his power wore out, and then attack again to chain them here for eternity.

He set the barrier around them before leading Legolas by the way he had come. Though the way was smooth and nothing came to obstruct their way, Elrond noted that his light was dimmer and the hands came nearer; Legolas realized it as well. Both sped their paces up to run. Nevertheless, the hands kept following them as well and crept nearer and nearer when time passed.

Before long, the gate of light, which would bring them back to the world of life, was in front of them. Legolas glad to see it though he was worried secretly because the boy's body was getting cold and his limbs were limp as if he was holding a big doll instead of a lively hobbit. He feared greatly that his hobbit might pass away while they tried to get out of this place.

Suddenly the hands attacked them again and clutch Legolas' ankles tightly and tried to pull him back though they ignored Elrond.

"Elrond! Don't worry about me. Go and take Frodo with you!" Legolas cried and thrust his two hands that were holding Frodo toward Elrond; however, the elf lord was too far to receive the hobbit. Desperate to save his innocent friend, Legolas came to a quick decision. He cast Frodo to Elrond who received him tenderly. All of this time, the hobbit was so still and seemed not to know at all what was happening with his two Elven friends.

The lord of Rivendell noticed the very unwell condition of Frodo too but he didn't have time to compute how bad the boy was. He just hoped Frodo could sustain a little longer. What little remained of his power was gathered in his hands and he shot it at those hands around Legolas' ankles. They sprang out immediately with painful scream. Elrond didn't let his gold chance passed; he grasped the younger elf's hand and yanked him into the light together.

After that Legolas knew no more, except all was so bright and warm.

* * *

Elrond panted heavily before opening his eyes; about him was blurred a little before he could focus on the faces that hovered around him. One strong and smooth hand reached to brush his hair off the damp forehead as well as wipe his sweat out.

"We have them back," Elrond reported tiredly. For so long he hadn't used all of his power to rescue someone while healing. He pulled his hand from Legolas' forehead but still kept his on Frodo's, looking proudly at Elladan and Aragorn who were bandaging the prince.

*They remembered all of what I had taught them.*

"Are you all right, Elrond?" Glorfindel asked as he eyed his friend and lord with worry, knowing too well that the half-elven was a very stubborn person and usually pushed himself over the limit like many times when he worked continually for a few days without rest; as a result he collapsed and was ordered to stay in bed for three days which wasn't easy for his caretaker, who was Glorfindel, because Elrond would sneak out to his study every time he had the chance.

"I'm fine," Elrond replied softly and tried to sit upright, however, he felt dizzy and slumped back into Glorfindel's waiting arms.

"No, you are not fine, Elrond. Just rest, I and the others will see the needs for our patients," the blond elf lord told him and without his lord's acceptance, he lay Elrond down on the soft grass with his head on his lap.

"And don't struggle," Glorfindel said sternly as he saw Elrond open his mouth and raise his hands up in an attempt to protest and push his friend out. "I'm stronger than you."

"All lright, all right, you win," Elrond gave up for he knew that when Glorfindel wanted to be stubborn, even he couldn't win. He looked at his friend a little indignantly, then averted his eyes to gaze at the boy before him when Elrohir covered him with a blanket. He smiled at his son's thought and moved his hand to the hobbit's neck to check the pulse. What he found made his heart heavy. Frodo's heartbeat was so weak he couldn't find it at all. Like he had feared his presence in Legolas' mind had caused the boy to be in this severe condition though he didn't have a clue how or why Frodo could penetrate into Legolas' world. Actually, he should have known if he had asked Legolas to tell him when they were trying to get back to the world of life. Whatever, it was needless to ponder; he must wait for Legolas or Frodo to wake up and tell him what had happened. But first of all, he needed to watch the little one closely.

Elrond got up again without listening to Glorfindel's concerned words. He leaned forward a little as he inserted his arms under Frodo's neck and legs and lifted the hobbit into his arms with Elrohir's help though it was needless for even he was so exhausted, Frodo weighed no more than a feather.

*He is too thin for a hobbit. I will tell Minatha to help him gain the standard weight when we are back* Elrond thought as he leaned back into Glorfindel's waiting arms for support, cradling Frodo to his bosom tenderly. His fingertips brushed the curly black hair off of pale forehead as he closed his eyes to concentrate for what he was going to do. His mind reached out for the nature's power that was a pure and great source for elves. The energy of rivers, trees, earth, stars, and moon seeped into his exhausted body slowly, refilling the power he had lost on account to rescue Legolas and Frodo as well as freshen him up again though he still needed some rest to recover completely. A small amount of the nature's power, no less or more, he passed to the boy through his fingertips.

Elrond opened his eyes and gazed down at the result in his arms. Frodo was still considerably pale but his healer sense said that the little one would be alright. However, Legolas and Frodo needed great care, that he couldn't provide in this forest, to recover.

"Elrohir, go tell your brothers that we are setting out to Imladris."

"Ada, I don't think that Legolas is in position to travel or move," Elrohir protested softly.

"I know, Elrohir, but we can't risk attack from the orcs again. Beside, our patients need nourishing foods and medicines that we can't give them in this wild. Legolas will ride with Elladan for he is well learned in the art of healing. You and Estel could find the places behind any elves," Elrond said; all the time, he stroked Frodo's soft hair fondly. His love for this little one was growing stronger and he was afraid for the time of the hobbit to depart.

Meanwhile his sons busied with their stuff, their father was busy himself in an argument with Glorfindel. The blond elf lord insisted firmly that he MUST ride with him which made Elrond a little furious with the mother-hen behavior of his friend. He was the lord of Rivendell who had governed it for many thousand years, survived the last alliance battle, and now Glorfindel acted as if he was a little baby who couldn't defend himself and needed protection.

However, Elrond gave up finally by Glorfindel's reason.

"Elrond. You aren't strong enough to ride alone, much less with Frodo in your arms. You and the little one will ride with me and that is the last conclusion," Glorfindel said and whistled to call his horse, Asfaloth. The steed strode gracefully to its master and nudged Glorfindel's chest lovingly. Glorfindel took Frodo from his lord so Elrond could mount Asfaloth. 

Not far from them, all the packages were saddled already. Legolas sat in front of Elladan who embraced him round his waist with one arm to be certain that his patient would not slip out of the horse while they galloped to Rivendell. Meanwhile, two elves did the honor to Elrohir and Estel by letting them ride with them.

Then, the troop of Rivendell deserted the forest to their peaceful valley.

* * *

Legolas blinked his eyes sluggishly. Things around him were so blurred that he could see none clearly. So he concentrated on the feeling and voices. His face pressed to a soft and warm fabric as he was bouncing up and down. The prince was confused a moment before he registered that someone carried him. But why? He was fine and could walk himself without help. He wanted to tell whoever was carrying him to let him down, however, his body didn't seem to agree with him because his muscles started aching terribly because of the lack of movement as well as his back that hurt so bad.

*What happened with me?* He tried to remember what had occurred but he found only white clouds in his head. Some important memories had disappeared though he didn't remember what they were and it disturbed him greatly.

*something small…*

Unfortunately, his caretaker interrupted him before he could recall.

"Legolas, are you awake?" It was Elladan's voice, which he noticed was full of concern.

"mmm…" Legolas murmured as a reply. He sank back to the twin's warm chest, wanting nothing more than sleeping without disturbance. He gazed around the room warily, annoyed that his eyes couldn't focus clearly. He only knew that there were many people in the room; the first was Elladan, the second was a blond haired elf who he thought must be Glorfindel, the third had black hair which might have been Elrohir or Elrond (whoever this person was, he was holding some bundle in his arms) and the last one was a small boy with curly hair. Actually, he never saw an elf with such a curly head like this one. *hmmm…interesting*

"Bilbo, could you pull the blanket out? So I could lay Legolas down," Elladan's said. So Legolas realized that it wasn't a small boy with curly hair like he had supposed. Whatever, why the famous hobbit was here? Why? Legolas started recalling his memories again; however, it was interrupted as he felt himself lowered to sit down on the bed. He hissed involuntarily as a flash of pain surged into his body; panted a little heavily as he inclined in Elladan's supporting arms, who was careful not to touch his pained spot. From his blurrily eyesight, he saw a blond haired elf that he supposed to be Glorfindel give Elladan a glass which the twin lifted it to his lips. Legolas turned his face away because he noticed from the smell that it must be a medicine and he knew from some experience, when he got wounded and was given medicine from the healer in Mirkwood, that it tasted so bad.

"You must drink it, Legolas," Elrond said softly as Elladan raised the glass against the prince's lips again.

The Mirkwood elf closed his eyes tightly before swallowing the unwanted and bad tasting fluid down his throat. Soon he was lowered down to lay on the mattress. Even though the bed was so soft, Legolas couldn't suppress a whimper when it touched his wound. Thus, he was flipped to lie on his stomach which made for less pain. A blanket was laid down on him lightly. So he wasn't chilled too much.

"Rest, Legolas. I will come to check you again this evening," Elrond said while the others went out.

The prince of Mirkwood obeyed obediently. His mind wanted to remember the 'small thing' he had forgotten but the medicine worked well and soon he started dozing. However, just before he fell into deep slumber, the bed beside him sank down a little and he felt a warm body pressed into him.

* * *

How long he slept Legolas didn't know. When he woke again, the room was luminous in the soft light of the morning sun. Legolas gazed around the room and tried to recognized what had happened after Elrond gave him 

the medicine that day but his memory was vague with the briefest of pieces. Actually, it was like he went through the dream full of voices and foggy faces. He remembered Minatha fed him some foods and Elrond visited him with his nasty medicine. The twins and Estel came to visit him as well as Mithrandir and the others. But most of the time, he slept through days and nights as his damaged body required and truly speaking, Elrond's treat had a big part in it.

Today was the first day that he felt well and his eyesight was clear. All he had forgotten or been oblivious to during his illness flew into his mind. The small thing---he tried to remember what it was.

Frodo!

Where was the boy?

Legolas searched into his memory frantically but he found Frodo nowhere and the others never mentioned the little hobbit to him as well. Shudders ran through him as the most terrible probability set into his mind.

Frodo was dead.

That was the reason why the others never said anything about the boy.

A droplet of tear streaked out of his eyes as he thought of the little boy he loved and failed to save. The innocent smile, shining blue eyes that surpassed any jewels he had ever seen, the unruly curled black hair, the tiny fingers that used to clutch his hair while he slept, the small body that cuddled to him at night; he had failed to protect Frodo.

A light movement on the bed told him that he wasn't alone in the room. Legolas wiped his tears hastily, ashamed to let whoever was there see his tears. He turned his face away from the direction of that movement, praying that the person would think he fell asleep again and leave him alone.

"Legolas?"

The said name owner froze for a moment. He turned his face back immediately and found himself looked into a pair of sleepy blue orbs.

*I must be delirious! Frodo couldn't be here, could he?*

Legolas thought as he saw his little friend rub his eyes before yawning, showed tiny white teeth.

"You are finally awake," the hobbit smiled sweetly at him.

Legolas reached his hand out to touch the small face in front of him hesitantly as if afraid that it was a dream and the boy would disappear the second he touched him. However, it wasn't. Frodo's cheek was soft and warm.

Frodo was confused at his larger friend's action. He moved nearer the elf and lifted his hand to touch his forehead, trying to find some fever that may have caused Legolas' weird reaction, but he found not.

*I should go to find Elrond. He must know what is wrong with Legolas*

Frodo struggled to get off the bed but he was pulled back to lie on the soft mattress again and Legolas' face buried itself in his small chest immediately as big strong arms wrapped around his body tightly as if he afraid Frodo would disappear if he let him go. Frodo was confused for a moment. He tried to push his bigger friend out but the elf was too big and too heavy.

"Legolas let me go. So I can go look for Elrond," Frodo said softly as he tried to shake the elf off again.

But in return, Legolas tightened his embrace and shook his head for 'no' as he started shedding his relieved tears.

"What's wrong, Legolas? Why are you crying?" Frodo asked confusedly, concerned that the elf might be in pain and wanted a healer.

"I'm fine. Just stay here with me," Legolas replied back. He lay on Frodo's chest and tummy, careful not to suffocate the boy by putting much weight on him. He listened to the heartbeat rhythm, the sign of life, happily. Frodo was alive! And that was all he wanted. 

The elf began to relax. The wounds that did not recover completely made him exhausted. Legolas adjusted himself a little to be more comfortable. Soon he fell asleep again, trapped the boy in his arms and underneath his upper body which annoyed Frodo a little because he could not move. After trying to push the prince out for a while, Frodo realized that it was useless. The small hobbit sighed deeply and looked around the room boringly for a few minute before he too fell into slumber.

* * *

Outside the room, two people were having a chat-walking. One was big while another was small, just a half size of man.

"Do you think it is good idea to let Frodo in the prince's room? I'm afraid he may disturb Legolas or may cause Legolas hurt without knowing," Bilbo said worriedly while his companion smiled.

"I don't think so Bilbo. I think it is the best idea to let them stay close each other. So I could take a look and treat them both together. Beside, you already saw it with your eyes how much Frodo ran wild when we tried to separate him and Legolas."

The old hobbit nodded as he pushed the door to open.

On the big bed, Frodo and Legolas lay peacefully in each other arms. Frodo's tiny fingers clutched the elf's blond hair tightly while Legolas buried his face in Frodo's small chest and embraced the hobbit tighter.

Elrond and Bilbo looked at the sight before them a moment. They know well what to do in this situation. Both tiptoed out of the room. Let the patients to travel in the beautiful dreams. This time Frodo and Legolas did not need others when they already had each other. At least for a while before the time to say goodbye will come.

To Be Continued…


	15. Until We Meet Again

TITLE: Innocent

AUTHOR: Elendriel (El) elendriel_g@yahoo.com

RATING: PG

PAIRING: Frodo / Legolas (but this is non-slash fic)

DISCLAIMER: All characters are Tolkien's, not mine. I just only borrow them. ^^

SUMMARY: After Frodo's parents death. Bilbo and Gandalf bring the hobbit to Rivendell.

NOTES 1: This fic is kind of **a little AU**. I know Frodo's parents drown in the river when he was 12 and Bilbo adopted him when he was 19 years old. In this story, I change a bit. Frodo is about 4-5 years old now and Bilbo adopted him immediately after the tragedy.

NOTES 2: My mother language isn't English. So be patience with my grammar though I had checked my grammar in this fic many times before post it.

Finally the last chapter, I'm so glad that I could finish this story. It's such a long. And sometimes it frustrated to no end when I had no idea what was going on or how to continue the story. All comments supported me to go on.

**Special thanks:** to **Izzy****, **who betaed chapter 1, **Shane** for chapter 6**, **and **Lily Baggins**, the most wonderful person who betaed chapter 8 to 14.

**For all the compliment and support thanks to all readers who reviewed me:******

**Mitsuko****: **Thanks for your coffee cake. It's so yummy. And because of the good smelling, my doggie tried to steal it from me. Bad dog. He and I fought for awhile, however, I won anyway.

**Gia**: Thanks for your compliment. It's really good to know that what people think about my fic. It's very important for me.

**Elvin Flame**: One problem as a writer is you will label as 'dead' when you are not appear often because of busy or whatever. I never heard anyone said that 'well, I'm happy you finally decide to come back from 3 months vacation. How was it going?' LOL

**Serafina**: I really wonder why it doesn't have much Legolas / Frodo. I really like this couple. They look so cute together. *melt* Parting is always sad but it's part of life. Well, I posted this chapter as quick as I can. Hope you will like it. It's last chapter of this fic anyway.

**ViNguyen**: Sorry for made you wait for it. ^_^; But you won't have to wait for the next anymore.

**Lin3**: Despite of what you say. I made them to say goodbye anyway with a condition that you may like it. For what you asked about Frodo and Elrond meeting again, I will consider it but do not hope anything for me because I'm such a forgetful person. I can forget what the exam's questions are after I get out of the room and it just ten minutes ago!

I do not live in fairbank and I have no idea where it is. It's sad that we could not meet each other to 'CREATE THE MOST INSANE AND CRAZY CORT EVER' as you wish. 

Well, I hope to see your comment later. Bye.

**Erinamation-limited2-nothing**: Thanks for the comment.

**Jaimi**: Well, I'm glad you like the image of Frodo and Legolas sleep together. I think it's such a cute picture. So sad that I don't have talent with drawing else you might see the picture of this couple. 

**Serpent of Light**: Don't cry, okay? They are just apart for a while until the war of the ring or until I feel like to right about Legolas and Frodo again.

**Innocent 15**

**By Elendriel**

"You are it!" Frodo cried as he jumped on Estel who was trying to hide behind a big bush. Fortunately, his ranger skills were unmatched the determining hobbit. The sound of laughing was heard around the forest as Frodo tickled Aragorn mercilessly. Elladan, Elrohir, and Zinthel (twins' friend) peeked their heads out to look at the usually Estel who was now lie helplessly under Frodo. Actually, Aragorn could shake the boy out easily. However, everyone agreed, without Frodo's knowledge, before the game that they would not escape once the hobbit caught them. Otherwise, Frodo would have to be 'it' all day because his power could not match to the 'big folk' as them.

"Estel is 'it'" Frodo announced loudly. He still prowled on the ranger, panted a little as he drew air into his lungs. His usually pale face was now red over because of laughing while he attacked the ranger's waist. Frodo lied there a little more before got on his feet and looked for a good hiding place.

Aragorn pushed himself to sit and started counting 1 to 10. He just counted 3 when Elrohir approached with smirking on his face.

"Poor Estel, you always get caught in hide-and-seek. I thought after all these years living as a ranger you would have be bettered. The twin chuckled before left his growling foster brother. Aragorn said nothing but his eyes followed Elrohir's closely, decided that he would make his very sweet brother to be 'it'.

Not too long, 10 were counted. Aragorn got up and headed towards where he saw Elrohir disappeared. The black haired elf tried to crawl deeper into the bush he was hiding. However, it was too late. Aragorn saw his dark red tunic already. Elrohir realized that he mush risk changing the hiding place unless he would certainly become 'it'. Therefore, he bolt off the bush, wished that he could escape Estel, and his brother would look for another target. However, the second he appeared was the second Estel jumped on him. The man did not let the elf had time to defend himself. He started tickled his brother mercilessly.

"Hahaha…haha…Es…Estel…s…stop…sto...Es…" Elrohir tried to push the ranger off but no availed. Estel attacked his brother a little more before let the twin go in order to find a hiding place, however, not before he mocked Elrohir.

"You are not better than the last time we played together, Elrohir."

"hmmm…you are so mean, Estel," Elrohir growled though he did not refuse that it was not truth. Estel and he were usually 'it' while Elladan, who insisted to call himself 'smart', always found a very good place to hide. Even though 'it' could find him, the elf would find a way to escape.  
  
Elrohir looked around for while he counted 1 to 10. Ah, there. Little Frodo was running to somewhere near the pavilion the adults were talking as well as watching children. Better to day they were referees to judge any argument or clear problem that may happen.

Though Elrohir was very fond of Frodo, it did not mean he would let the boy easily. Game was game right? The elf brushed dried leaves off his clothes and went after the boy.

* * *  


Everyone who sat under pavillion's roof chatting with each other merrily, avoided the bright ray of the sun in summer. It was good to see 'children' play again in Imladris. Actually, the really and only child was Frodo. The others were not kids anymore. Elladan, Elrohir and Zinthel were nearly 3000 years old while Aragorn was 45. However, when comparing with Glorfindel, Elrond and Gandalf, they were just a group of young boys.

Frodo's flushed face while he was running under the sun really made everyone happy. Since they returned to Rivendell, Frodo had glued himself with Legolas inside the room all the time. Thus, the pale skin of him was getting paler. Today was the first time that the hobbit went outside by Elrohir's inviting, however, not without the condition that Legolas must go with them though he could not play because his wounds were not recover completely yet. Beside Elrond had the very strict requirement for the prince of Mirkwood not to exert himself unnecessary, less he might relapse. Therefore, Legolas sat with the aged group and watched the others played.

Now, everyone under the pavilion watched Elrohir disappeared behind the bush with a doubt that Frodo might not escape the elf's hand. Soon the outcome presented itself before their ears and eyes. Frodo rolled out of the bush before he stood quickly and tried to flee from Elrohir who was following closely behind. However, the elf was so quick. He caught Frodo easily and the two tumbled together on the ground. One tried to wriggle out of the tickling fingers while another tried to attack his playmate at the waist.

"hahahah….s..stop..'ro…'rohir…" Frodo cried out. His face was so red and small amount of tears dropped on his cheek because of laughing so hard. Elrond could not stand anymore. He stood up and went to stop his son.

"That's enough, Elrohir," The Lord of Imladris said as he bent down to pick Frodo. He cradled the very exhausting boy close to his heart and used another free hand to pull his handkerchief out to wipe Frodo's sweat and tear. He could feel the heart beat so fast inside the small chest. He walked back to the pavilion and fed the child with grape juice from his glass. He hold the glass, of course, since it was too big for Frodo's tiny hands. 

"That's enough of playing for today. It's high time for you to take a nap, little one." Elrond told softly as he put the glass on the marble table.

Frodo frowned at his caretaker's words. /What? Why would adult always tell me to take a nap while I'm playing? That's not fair that I must sleep while they do not have to./

"I'm not tired and not sleepy either," Frodo protested softly.

"Sleepy or not, you must go to bed," Elrond tried to be stern to the boy though it was hard for him to be strict to such a lovely boy like Frodo.

"But ada, who will be 'it'?" Elrohir joined the protest with Frodo.

Frodo looked at Elrohir, wondering that between went to bed and had more fun but being it again, which choice would be the best for him? The idea of running around made Frodo felt more tired, however, he didn't want to go to bed yet. Well, maybe, after another two or three round, he would like to go to bed.

"That, you must go and discuss with the others."

Frodo turned to look at Legolas imploringly.

"Er…Lord Elrond, how about let Frodo play a little more? Then I will see him to bed."

"Though my heart would like to do as you told, I can't do that. If Frodo don't take a nap now, he would oversleep dinner time," Elrond said and got a very cute pout from Frodo who crawled out of his lap to Legolas'. His small arms wrapped around the prince's neck who embraced him back automatically. Never once Frodo turned back to see Elrond.

Legolas excused himself and carried Frodo away with Gandalf who just remembered that he needed to see a scroll in Elrond's library. Elrond could not suppress smile when he saw that Frodo slept immediately after he laid his head on Legolas' shoulder even though he said he was not tired.

Time moved faster than Elrond would like. He felt sadden when he thought that it was just only a week and Bilbo will bring Frodo back to the Shire. Will he meet the little one again? The lord of Imladris wondered.

"Do not sad of his departing. I feel we would see him again soon," Glorfindel said before he too went inside the building, left Elrond with the 'children' who still argued whom will be 'it'.

* * *

Frodo embraced Erestor back with such a confusing. This was not the first time that the elves came to hug and bless him. Everyone looked weird, even Legolas who seemed to be quieter than usual.

"May the grace of the Valar be with you," Erestor said and gave Frodo a big bag. He caressed the boy's cheek lightly with his fingertips before departed Legolas and Frodo.

The hobbit watched until Erestor disappeared behind one corner. The azure eyes looked at the bag in his hands curiously. Tiny brows knitted a little as he tried to guess what was in the bag before he took a look.

"Wow!" Frodo cried happily. The bag was full with several kinds of candy. He dug inside the bag immediately. However, Legolas snatched the bag from Frodo before the boy could get a hold on the candy.

"No, Frodo. You must eat breakfast first."

"oh! I just want to try a small piece, Legolas. Please, please, please, please," Frodo begged the prince. His hands squeezed Legolas' tightly. Legolas could not resist seeing Frodo's eyes stared at him imploringly. He picked a small piece of candy and dropped in Frodo's waiting mouth. The hobbit beamed at the elf, chewed the candy happily while Legolas bent down to pick him up. The prince of Mirkwood kissed the small head lightly and then laid his cheek on it.

Today must be the last day that he could carry Frodo. When would he meet the little one again? 10 years? 20 years? Or never to meet again? Though hobbits' lifespan were longer than human, it was considered as so short for the immortal being like the elves. Legolas almost unbearable when he thought that he would never see this child again. He became used to carry Frodo around, having his arms around tiny body when they slept. Every activity always had Frodo involved. Now all were ended, Frodo would go the Shire while he returned to Mirkwood. 

Although he already knew well that the time to say goodbye will come, Legolas could not help himself to pray that Bilbo would change his mind to travel tomorrow instead of today. So he would have more time with Frodo. Just one more day.

* * *

Everyone in dining room was so quiet that if a pin fell to the ground, they would hear them. Frodo seemed to notice nothing weird as he chatted merrily and received the absentminded answers from the others who were occupied in their own thoughts. The Elves and one young man were sad when thought that Frodo was going away. Gandalf pondered where he would go after he sent the hobbits back to Shire. For Bilbo, he was worrying how to tell his dear nephew of their departing. He tried to tell Frodo many times that they would go back to the Shire soon but every time he saw Frodo's bright eyes after playing with the elves, he could not say it out loud for fear of Frodo's reaction. Legolas and the boy were really attached to each other until Bilbo did not think that Frodo would admit their must-departing easily. Thus he had been delayed telling him for a while until today that he must tell him, no avoiding anymore. Even though Bilbo still waited until Frodo got out of the table with Elrond's help. Tiny hands grasped the bigger hand of Legolas while he started telling the plan what they will do today.

"Frodo, I have something to tell you," Bilbo burst out.

"What is it, uncle Bilbo?" Frodo asked curiously. He started wondering what he done wrong to make his uncle looked so serious. Was it the button of his favorite jacket that Frodo had grasped to play without Bilbo's permission and lost some button without knowledge when and where. Maybe, it was his pipe that Frodo had broken at the end while he acted as an adult who was smoking his pipe. Or was it the…oh, it had many things he did that would make uncle Bilbo angry and he had no idea which one Bilbo was going to talk to him.

"We had left the Shire for a few months and I think it's the time we should go home,"

"Wh…what did you say?" Frodo asked as his mind tried to register what Bilbo had told him.

"We will go back home today."

"NO! I Won't go home!" Frodo cried and ran away. Bilbo tried to get out of his chair and follow the boy but the hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Don't worry. I will bring Frodo back. Wait for us at the courtyard," Legolas said solemnly and hurriedly ran after his small friend.

* * *

Legolas questioned many passerby elves but no one saw the little hobbit. He tried to recall the place that Frodo would go. He aimed to Rivendell's library first because it was Frodo's favorite place. The boy could sit between scroll all day, looked at the beautiful painting on the scroll while trying to read though not much because he was just started his study in Rivendell. Legolas explored every nook in the library but Frodo was nowhere to be seen. Thus, the elf walked to the garden, Frodo's second favorite place.

In the middle of colorful flowers, a small body sat still. Tiny arms wrapped around his bent knees that he hid his face, sobbing softly.

Legolas walked toward quietly. He sat down beside the boy and pulled the tiny body onto his lap, humming soft tune to solace the hobbit while he rubbed Frodo's beck gently. Tiny hands fisted Legolas' shirt tightly until his knuckles white.

"I do…don't want…to… go back… home," Frodo stammered. His tears still flew down his cheeks. "I don't want to go" Frodo cried and buried his face in the elf's chest.

Legolas tightened his grip on Frodo for a moment before he pushed the hobbit out a little. One finger tilted Frodo's chin up and he kissed softly on the boy's forehead.

"It's been a few months now that you stay here. I think your relatives at Shire must miss and worry about you," Legolas gave the reasons as he wiped the tears out of the hobbit's face.

"But I don't want to go. I want to stay here with you."

Those words caught Legolas' heart very much for it told how highly Frodo thought of him. However, this nice dream must be ended. Frodo had his own life as he had his and each path was different from the others.

"I'm going home in a few days as well, Frodo."

Frodo was crestfallen immediately when he heard those words. Being gentle elf, Legolas could not stand to see his dearly friend sad. 

"I will go visiting you at Shire as much as possible," Then some plan formed in the elf's brain immediately. "I never go to the Shire before. No doubt I would get lose."

"I will be your guidance. So you would never get lose," Frodo offered enthusiasm.

Legolas hid his smile when the hobbit fell into his trap.

"How could you be my guide when you want to stay here? I'm afraid I must look for another hobbit child."

"No. Don't do that." Frodo cried. He would never let the other hobbit kids near Legolas for fear that the elf would like the other children more than him.

"I will go back to the Shire," Frodo said reluctantly after he pondered for a while.

"If you decide to go back home, then let's go to the courtyard. Bilbo and Gandalf must be waiting for us there," Legolas said as he picked the hobbit up. The sadden surge overwhelmed him when he thought that he must really say farewell to Frodo soon. When would he see this child again? He sighed silently.

* * *

A few elves were standing at the courtyard in front of the building. Gandalf, Glorfindel, Elrond, and his three sons were talking quietly. Minatha, Frodo's temporary nanny who should come seeing Frodo for the last time, refused to come because she did not want to cry in front of everyone when Frodo set out of Rivendell. Bilbo was pacing with frustration when he did not see Frodo and Legolas yet. He would have continued his walking back and forth if Gandalf did not turn him around to look at the building's gate. Legolas was carrying the very red eyed Frodo outside. Three brothers, two elves and one man went to hug the little one and bid him traveling well. The next cues were Elrond and Glorfindel. Both elves lord kissed Frodo's forehead. Elrond whispered his blessing to the boy that no matter how dark he would encounter in the future, the light in him will never extinguish. All the time, Frodo did not let Legolas go even a second. He hugged them back, of course, but one of his hand clutched Legolas' hair tightly.

After everyone said farewell, Gandalf walked to Legolas to get Frodo but the boy did not obey. He hid his face on Legolas' shoulder and wrapped his arms around Legolas' neck very tightly that the elf could not breathe.

"We have made the promise that you will go back home and I will go to visit you as much as I can. Do you remember?" Legolas said as he tried to pry the boy's arms out of his neck.

Frodo shook his head. "I change my mind. I want to live with Legolas here."

"I'm going home at Mirkwood in two or three days," Legolas gave a reason.

"Then I'm going to Mirkwood with you. Wherever you go, I go too," Frodo said and looked stubbornly at the elf.

"Only the close relative that could live in Mirkwood with me," Legolas said and it was truth. King Thranduil, his father was very carefully for his children. He would watch closely when someone tried to advance his children. If that person was not his standard, then that person must go. Even people around his children must be checked closely. He could have normal friend though, as long as that friend did not do something to make his father dislike. Therefore, most of people around him were the relatives.

"Papa and mama was not close relative either and they lived together with me."

"Your papa and mama were married. That was the reason why they could stay together."

"Then I will marry Legolas. So we could stay together forever."

Everyone chuckled at the childish resolve while Frodo looked at their reaction confusingly. Of course, Frodo was too young and too innocent to understand the concept of marry. All he knew was the married would get two people lived together.

"Children cannot marry, Frodo. You must come of age first," Legolas said

"Then you must promise that you will marry me when I'm older."

The laughter died immediately. 'Swear' or 'Promise' of the elves was the very serious deed because swear or promise will bound them forever.

"er…." Legolas did not know what to say. His brain went white when he thought how to reply to the boy.

"Promise me, please," Frodo pressed the elf for fear that he might marry the other before he came of age. If Legolas did so, he then could not live with Legolas as he wanted.

"Promise me that you will marry me, only me. Please, please, please," Frodo pleaded. Azure eyes stared at the elf.

The prince of Mirkwood thought the way to get out of this situation but he could not it. If he did not promise, Frodo would not let go of him. But if he promised, then he would bind with the little one forever. Beside his father was choosy with anyone who was going to wed his children. The going to be son-in-law or daughter-in-law must pass the very strict test. Normal female elf or human girl was hard enough. But this was very young and male hobbit. It was such impossible. Legolas calculated as best as he could before he knew what will be the best answer.

"I swear with Anor and Ithil that if you did not want to marry the other when you grown up AND if I did not have any relationship with other AND if you still insisted to live with me, then I will marry you."

"Yeah!" Frodo cried and clasped his hands happily, did not notice that everyone around him was stared at them with shock.

Gandalf was the first person who came back to his sense. He looked at Legolas with disproval before came to take Frodo. The hobbit let Legolas go this time but not before he kissed farewell, not at the cheeks, but at Legolas' mouth liked the one he had saw papa kissed mama.

Legolas felt himself blushed a little when his eyes met Gandalf's scolded eyes though the wizard did not say anything. He sent Frodo to Bilbo who sat on his pony already. The old hobbit wrapped one arm around his nephew before urged the pony to follow Gandalf's horse. Frodo turned to see Legolas all the time until he could see the elf no more. The young hobbit turned to see the road before him, wondering when he could see Legolas again. Meanwhile Bilbo was thinking he would not let Frodo meet the young prince again. Therefore, the vow could not be truth.

"Goodbye, little one until I see you again," Legolas whispered as he watched the small curly black head turned back to see him one last time.

* * *

At Rivendell.

"Well, I request all of you to keep the vow as a secret," Elrond said seriously because it would do no good to Legolas. If Thranduil knew of this deed, he must upset with his son to make a marriage vow easily, especially with the innocent child like Frodo.

Everyone nodded their in agreement before went inside the last homely house.

* * *

Finally, it was the time that Legolas must go back to Mirkwood. A few elves came to bid him farewell. Before Legolas would set out of Rivendell, Elladan walked toward and pulled the prince's head down to ask something.

"What will you do to the vow about the marrying Frodo?" Elladan whispered; so no one would hear.

"I don't have to do anything because I had made an escape or two for me in that vow," Legolas whispered back and nudged his horse to gallop along the road.

**END**


End file.
